Chapter Summaries

After the monkeys named Sun Wukong the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, he flew to the Heavenly Court to see the immortals’ home. At the Southern Heavenly Gate, two heavenly soldiers questioned why he had come and why he had not joined the court.

• Sun Wukong accepted the title Great Sage Equal to Heaven after the old chieftain suggested it.
• Sun Wukong promised the monkeys he would visit heaven and tell them what it was like.
• Sun Wukong rode his Somersault Cloud from the Water Curtain Cave to the Southern Heavenly Gate.
• Two heavenly soldiers explained that the Heavenly Court was ruled by the Jade Emperor and asked Sun Wukong why he had come.
• Sun Wukong introduced himself and asked to look around, and the heavenly soldiers questioned why he had not joined the ranks of immortals.

Sun Wukong slipped into the Heavenly Court to look around after its guards refused him entry, while Ao Guang and a Netherworld messenger separately reported his offenses to the Jade Emperor. Taibai Changgengxing persuaded the Jade Emperor to recruit Sun Wukong rather than attack him, and arrived at Flower-Fruit Mountain to deliver the decree, where Sun Wukong was absent.

• Sun Wukong reasoned with the heavenly guards, then turned into a bird and secretly entered the Heavenly Court to explore.
• Ao Guang reported that Sun Wukong had stolen treasures from the East Sea Dragon Palace, and the Jade Emperor promised to send troops against him.
• A soul-reaping messenger reported that Sun Wukong had seized the Book of Life and Death and erased the monkey kind's names, and the Jade Emperor again promised to capture him.
• An immortal explained Sun Wukong's origins, and Taibai Changgengxing proposed recruiting him with an imperial decree instead of mobilizing troops.
• The Jade Emperor accepted Taibai Changgengxing's proposal and sent him to Flower-Fruit Mountain with the decree.
• The monkeys' old patriarch welcomed Taibai Changgengxing, who asked where Sun Wukong was and said he could come to heaven to take a post.

Sun Wukong returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain after a brief visit to the Heavenly Court, unaware that much more time had passed on earth. Taibai Jinxing delivered the Jade Emperor’s invitation, and Sun Wukong agreed to join the immortals, leaving the arrangements for his tribe to the old patriarch.

• Taibai Changgengxing learned from the old monkey patriarch that Sun Wukong had gone to the Heavenly Court and waited at Flower-Fruit Mountain for his return.
• Sun Wukong came back to the Water Curtain Cave and began telling the little monkeys about the Heavenly Court.
• Taibai Jinxing arrived and told Sun Wukong that the Jade Emperor had sent him to bring Sun Wukong to heaven and grant him an official post.
• Sun Wukong learned that two shichen in the Heavenly Court amounted to two months on earth and apologized to Taibai Changgengxing for keeping him waiting.
• Sun Wukong accepted the invitation and explained that the old monkey patriarch already managed the tribe, so he had little to arrange before leaving.

Sun Wukong left Flower-Fruit Mountain in Taibai Jinxing’s company to enter the Heavenly Court, after reassuring his tribe and giving the old patriarch a protective monkey hair. At the Southern Heavenly Gate, the guards stopped him, and Taibai Jinxing explained that Sun Wukong would be allowed through freely only after meeting the Jade Emperor and receiving an official position.

• Sun Wukong told the old patriarch to continue caring for the tribe and promised to visit every day or two in heaven, though a year would pass on earth for each heavenly day.
• Sun Wukong gave the old patriarch a monkey hair containing his Law Power, which could summon his likeness and alert him if the tribe faced danger.
• Sun Wukong comforted the saddened little monkeys by promising to bring them to visit the Heavenly Court after he established himself there.
• Sun Wukong asked Taibai Changgengxing his name, then followed him toward the Heavenly Court on his Somersault Cloud.
• Sun Wukong reached the Southern Heavenly Gate ahead of Taibai Jinxing, but unfamiliar heavenly soldiers stopped him and threatened him.
• Sun Wukong accused Taibai Jinxing of deceiving him, and Taibai Jinxing explained that the guards would admit him freely after he met the Jade Emperor and received an official position.

Sun Wukong entered the Heavenly Court at the Jade Emperor’s invitation and was appointed Keeper of the Heavenly Horses. After learning that the post was the lowest and had no official rank, he rebelled and escaped through the Southern Heavenly Gate with the horses released.

• Taibai Jinxing showed the Jade Emperor’s decree at the Southern Heavenly Gate and escorted Sun Wukong into the Heavenly Court.
• Taibai Changgengxing described the Heavenly Court’s palaces and halls as they walked to meet the Jade Emperor.
• The Jade Emperor appointed Sun Wukong Keeper of the Heavenly Horses after Martial Melody Star Lord reported that no other posts were vacant.
• Sun Wukong organized the Imperial Horse Stables and cared for its horses until they became sleek and sturdy.
• At a feast, Sun Wukong learned his post had no rank and was the lowest official position, and he declared that he quit.
• Sun Wukong overturned the desk, fought out of the Imperial Horse Stables, released all the heavenly horses, and escaped through the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Sun Wukong returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain after rejecting his lowly post in the Heavenly Court, and the Jade Emperor sent an army to capture him. When the Giant Spirit God demanded his surrender, Sun Wukong reassured his frightened monkeys and refused to abandon them.

• Sun Wukong returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain and received a joyful welcome from the monkeys.
• Sun Wukong told the old chieftain that he had overturned a feast and fought out of heaven after learning the low status of Keeper of the Heavenly Horses.
• The Jade Emperor received reports of Sun Wukong's departure and ordered Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing and Third Prince Nezha to capture him.
• Li Jing and Nezha mustered their armies and sent the Giant Spirit God ahead to demand Sun Wukong's surrender.
• A frightened little monkey reported the demand and offered to hold off the Giant Spirit God so Sun Wukong could escape.
• Sun Wukong refused to abandon the monkeys, expressed confidence in his strength, and asked for confirmation of the Giant Spirit God's location.

Sun Wukong confronted the Giant Spirit God, who had come to take him back to Heaven, and demanded recognition as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Their clash left the Giant Spirit God injured and retreating while Sun Wukong remained unharmed.

• Sun Wukong armed himself, flew to meet the Giant Spirit God, and refused his demand to surrender.
• Sun Wukong told the Giant Spirit God to report that he wanted the Jade Emperor to promote him to Great Sage Equal to Heaven or face an attack on Heaven.
• The Giant Spirit God saw Sun Wukong's banner and attacked him with his axe.
• Sun Wukong blocked the Giant Spirit God's first axe blow without being hurt, while the recoil numbed the Giant Spirit God's arms.
• The Giant Spirit God strengthened his next blow, but Sun Wukong blocked it again, leaving the Giant Spirit God bloodied and forcing him to leap back.
• Sun Wukong mocked the Giant Spirit God for hurting himself while failing to harm him.

Sun Wukong defeated the Giant Spirit God by turning his attacks against him and repeatedly tossing him through the air. After the Giant Spirit God begged for mercy, Sun Wukong raised the Jingu Bang over his head, leaving his fate in immediate danger.

• The Giant Spirit God launched spikes from the ground and leaped to strike Sun Wukong, but Sun Wukong countered with the Jingu Bang and slammed him to the ground.
• Sun Wukong repeatedly struck and tossed the Giant Spirit God into the air, taunting him when he asked what Sun Wukong wanted.
• Sun Wukong chased the Giant Spirit God with his Somersault Cloud and knocked him back and forth through the sky more than twenty times.
• The Giant Spirit God begged Sun Wukong to spare him and called him the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
• Sun Wukong reminded the Giant Spirit God of his threats and raised the Jingu Bang to strike his head.

Sun Wukong spared the Giant Spirit God after defeating him, then restored his Law Power while the Giant Spirit God returned to Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing’s camp. Li Jing ordered the Giant Spirit God executed, but Nezha intervened and offered to test Sun Wukong himself.

• Sun Wukong stopped short of killing the terrified Giant Spirit God after the defeated god wet himself, and the Giant Spirit God thanked him before leaving.
• Sun Wukong used his Great Grade Heavenly Immortal Instruction to restore his Law Power to its peak.
• The Giant Spirit God reported to Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing that Sun Wukong had beaten him, falsely claiming that clones and ambushes had caused his defeat.
• Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing ordered the Giant Spirit God executed for weakening the army’s fighting spirit.
• Nezha asked Li Jing to spare the Giant Spirit God and volunteered to fight Sun Wukong, while the Giant Spirit God pledged to accept whatever punishment followed if his account was false.

Nezha set out to capture Sun Wukong, but instead of fighting immediately, he told Sun Wukong how he received his lotus-root body and proudly revealed his title, Ou Ba. His shout reached the heavenly camp, where Li Jing complained about Nezha’s habit of showing it off.

• Nezha volunteered to capture Sun Wukong, and the Giant Spirit God directed him to the battlefield while secretly hoping he would lose.
• Nezha found Sun Wukong waiting and introduced himself as Li Jing’s third son.
• Sun Wukong teased Nezha about smelling of lotus root, prompting Nezha to explain that True Person Taiyi had made him a body from a thousand-year-old lotus root after the Dragon King of the East Sea had him killed.
• Nezha announced that his new title was Ou Ba, and Sun Wukong enthusiastically praised the name.
• Nezha’s shout reached the monkeys at Water Curtain Cave and the heavenly camp, where Li Jing complained that Nezha kept showing off his title.

Sun Wukong and Nezha bonded over Nezha’s title, Ou Ba, and agreed to stage a controlled fight so Nezha could report back to the Jade Emperor. They began battling with their Three Heads and Six Arms techniques, and their weapons clashed in midair.

• Nezha embraced Sun Wukong after Sun Wukong praised his title, and the two cursed the Jade Emperor for overlooking them.
• Nezha told Sun Wukong that he and Li Jing had been sent to arrest him, but he could no longer bring himself to take his new friend back.
• Sun Wukong proposed that they fight carefully and leave each other with injuries enough to satisfy the Jade Emperor.
• Nezha and Sun Wukong activated Three Heads and Six Arms and prepared to fight at full strength while controlling their injuries.
• Nezha hurled the Universe Ring at Sun Wukong, who sent it back before throwing a Jingu Bang, and their weapons battled in midair.

Sun Wukong and Nezha continued their battle, trading blows in the air while their summoned weapons fought separately. Nezha’s Universe Ring and Heaven-Chaos Sash attacked Sun Wukong, but he seized control of the ring and flung it back at Nezha.

• Nezha sent his Heaven-Chaos Sash against a conjured Jingu Bang, and the weapons fought while Sun Wukong and Nezha dismissed their Three Heads and Six Arms to conserve Law Power.
• Sun Wukong and Nezha charged at each other on their mounts and clashed with the Jingu Bang and Fire-Tipped Spear.
• Nezha’s skillful spearwork initially pressed Sun Wukong, but Sun Wukong’s powerful staff blows eventually forced Nezha to spring away.
• Nezha summoned his Universe Ring and Heaven-Chaos Sash to attack Sun Wukong from both sides.
• Sun Wukong dodged the Universe Ring, spun it around his Jingu Bang, and flung it back toward Nezha with tremendous force.

Nezha and Sun Wukong continued their battle, and Sun Wukong defeated Nezha after a single decisive exchange. Nezha accepted the loss and followed Sun Wukong to the Water Curtain Cave on Flower-Fruit Mountain, though he could not see it through the trees.

• Nezha used his Fire Arrow Spear to dissipate the force of Sun Wukong’s Universe Ring, while Sun Wukong captured Nezha’s Heaven-Chaos Sash.
• Sun Wukong offered to let Nezha pretend to lose and invited him to the Water Curtain Cave, but Nezha insisted that their fight needed a clear winner.
• Nezha charged Sun Wukong with all his strength, but Sun Wukong blocked the spear and counterattacked, injuring Nezha’s right arm and winning the battle.
• Nezha admitted defeat and agreed to visit Sun Wukong’s home on Flower-Fruit Mountain.
• Sun Wukong and Nezha reached the woods near the Water Curtain Cave, where Nezha asked whether Sun Wukong lived underground.

Sun Wukong brought Nezha to Water Curtain Cave in disguise so the Heavenly Palace would not learn of his visit. Nezha found an opportunity there to break through his bottleneck, and Sun Wukong began introducing him to the monkeys.

• Sun Wukong explained why he had brought Nezha to secluded woods, and Nezha changed his appearance and hid his weapons and treasures.
• Sun Wukong carried Nezha through the waterfall to Water Curtain Cave, where Nezha admired the cave and sensed an opportunity to advance.
• Sun Wukong stood guard while Nezha meditated and broke through his bottleneck.
• Sun Wukong told Nezha they were friends and invited him to look around for more opportunities, while the monkeys quietly kept his presence secret.
• After Nezha toured the cave without finding another opportunity, Sun Wukong gathered the monkeys and began introducing him as a good friend.

Sun Wukong welcomed Nezha to Water Curtain Cave and told the monkeys to call him Ou Ba. Nezha enjoyed their wine, grilled fish, and fresh fruit while the monkeys treated him as an honored guest.

• Sun Wukong introduced Nezha to the little monkeys as his friend Ou Ba and instructed them to treat him well.
• The monkeys served Nezha their aged Hundred Fragrance Wine, and he happily drank several cups without paying attention to its story.
• When a monkey asked where he had lived, Nezha claimed he had lived in a city west of Flower-Fruit Mountain.
• Two monkeys served Nezha boneless grilled grass carp, and he praised their cooking.
• A group of little monkeys offered Nezha freshly picked fruit, and he thanked them while eating a peach.

Nezha enjoyed Sun Wukong’s hospitality in the Water Curtain Cave and broke through twice in one day, strengthening his bond with Sun Wukong and the monkeys. After realizing night had fallen, he thanked his hosts and prepared to return to the barracks.

• Sun Wukong told Nezha he had spent only about one shichen in the Water Curtain Cave, and Nezha decided to stay another shichen.
• Sun Wukong had the little monkeys bring Nezha treats and entertain him, and Nezha relaxed and enjoyed their company.
• Nezha sensed an opportunity to break through while playing, and Sun Wukong kept the monkeys from disturbing him as he meditated.
• After nearly a shichen, Nezha emerged from his breakthrough and thanked the monkeys, then embraced Sun Wukong and credited the visit with helping him break through twice.
• Nezha noticed the sun had set, thanked the monkeys for their hospitality, and prepared to leave.

Nezha left Water Curtain Cave and returned to Li Jing’s tent after losing to Sun Wukong, but he revealed that two breakthroughs had greatly increased his strength. He began explaining that his second breakthrough had followed his discovery and drinking of wine the little monkeys had buried.

• Nezha promised the little monkeys he would visit again, said goodbye, and left Water Curtain Cave.
• Nezha transformed back into Third Prince Nezha and hurried to Li Jing’s tent, noticing that his strength and speed had improved.
• Nezha told Li Jing that Sun Wukong had defeated him after a fierce fight, then demonstrated his greatly increased strength.
• Nezha explained that he had encountered two opportunities to break through while exploring after the fight.
• Nezha told Li Jing that he found jars of wine the little monkeys had dug up and that drinking two jars triggered his second breakthrough.

Nezha tried to conceal what had happened during his breakthroughs, but Li Jing saw through his lies and explained why Sun Wukong had spared the Giant Spirit God. Li Jing then began recounting the events surrounding Nezha’s death and their strained relationship, while Nezha had failed to listen to his warning.

• Nezha mixed truth with fabrications as he described his experiences and tried to leave Li Jing’s tent.
• Li Jing called Nezha a poor liar and recalled how Nezha had lied after killing the Dragon King of the East Sea’s third prince.
• Li Jing explained that Sun Wukong had spared the Giant Spirit God to deliver a message and warned that future challengers would not be allowed to return alive.
• Nezha admitted through his confused response that he had not paid attention to Li Jing’s explanation.
• Li Jing began recounting how he had handed Nezha over to the Dragon King of the East Sea to protect Chentang Pass, and how True Person Taiyi had saved him.

Nezha told Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing that he had befriended Sun Wukong, sparred with him, and broken through twice at Water Curtain Cave. After Li Jing reported Sun Wukong’s demand to the Jade Emperor, Taibai Chang Gengxin proposed granting him the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven without a salary.

• Nezha revealed that Sun Wukong had praised his title Oppa, and they had become friends after a friendly spar.
• Nezha said he had broken through twice while visiting Sun Wukong and his monkeys at Water Curtain Cave.
• Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing told Nezha they would return to the Heavenly Court and leave Sun Wukong’s demand to the Jade Emperor.
• Li Jing reported Sun Wukong’s victories and demand for the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven to the Jade Emperor.
• The Jade Emperor ordered Sun Wukong killed, but Taibai Chang Gengxin urged him to grant the title without a salary.

Taibai Changgengxing persuaded the Jade Emperor to issue an amnesty and recruit Sun Wukong as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. After the monkeys distrusted the envoy and Sun Wukong made him wait, Taibai Changgengxing delivered the offer and proposed a departure date.

• Taibai Changgengxing outlined his plan to keep Sun Wukong in Heaven and reduce his interference, and the Jade Emperor approved it.
• Taibai Changgengxing went to Flower-Fruit Mountain, where a little monkey recognized him from ten years earlier and refused to summon Sun Wukong.
• Taibai Changgengxing shouted that he had good news, but Sun Wukong chose to leave him waiting outside for nearly an hour.
• Sun Wukong apologized to Taibai Changgengxing and heard that the Jade Emperor had agreed to appoint him Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
• Taibai Changgengxing proposed waiting another month while Sun Wukong prepared the Water Curtain Cave before they traveled to the Heavenly Court.