Chapter Summaries

Sun Wukong discovered that Tang Xuanzang was alive but trapped inside a stone coffin, then sent Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing to confront the Great King of Numinous Touch while he waited on the bank. Zhu Bajie challenged the monster and began fighting him.

• Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing argued about whether to leave Sun Wukong behind, until Wukong revealed himself and told them to keep going.
• Sun Wukong turned into a lobster and entered the monster's palace, where he learned that Tang Xuanzang was locked inside a stone coffin and that the fiends planned to eat him.
• Sun Wukong reassured Tang Xuanzang, then told Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing to challenge the monster and lure him out of the water.
• Zhu Bajie confronted the Great King of Numinous Touch at the gate and accused him of using tricks to prey on children.
• Zhu Bajie attacked the Great King of Numinous Touch with his Nine-Toothed Rake.

Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing lured the Great King of Numinous Touch onto shore, where Sun Wukong drove him back underwater. After learning that his opponent was the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the monster sealed his cave and refused to come out, leaving Tang Xuanzang captive.

• The Great King of Numinous Touch fought Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing underwater, and the two pretended to flee to draw him ashore.
• Sun Wukong battled the Great King of Numinous Touch on land and forced him to retreat into the water.
• Zhu Bajie proposed luring the monster out again while Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing attacked from above.
• The old man in tattered clothes recognized Sun Wukong from the Great King of Numinous Touch's description and warned that they could not eat Tang Xuanzang.
• The Great King of Numinous Touch ordered the lesser monsters to block the cave entrance and ignore Zhu Bajie's challenges.
• Sha Wujing urged Zhu Bajie to return and discuss another plan with Sun Wukong.

After Sun Wukong failed to draw the Tongtian River monster out, he sought Bodhisattva Guanyin’s help. Guanyin captured the monster, a goldfish from his lotus pond, and sent Sun Wukong to rescue Tang Xuanzang while Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing rushed to tell Chen Household Village about Guanyin.

• Sun Wukong sent Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing to patrol the riverbank and traveled to the South Sea for help.
• Sun Wukong waited for Bodhisattva Guanyin, who eventually came out carrying a bamboo basket and agreed to go with him.
• Bodhisattva Guanyin threw the basket into the river and caught the monster, revealing it was his escaped goldfish.
• Bodhisattva Guanyin explained the goldfish’s origins and urged Sun Wukong to rescue Tang Xuanzang.
• Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing ran to Chen Household Village, where Zhu Bajie shouted that the living Bodhisattva Guanyin had arrived.

After defeating the demon in the Tongtian River, Sun Wukong accepted a giant turtle’s offer to carry Tang Xuanzang and his disciples across. The group continued west and reached a strange green landscape amid the surrounding ice and snow.

• Sun Wukong returned Tang Xuanzang to Chen Household Village, where the elders apologized and prepared to find them a boat.
• A giant turtle offered to carry the group across the river, and Sun Wukong grew suspicious until Bodhisattva Guanyin confirmed the turtle meant no harm.
• Tang Xuanzang and his disciples crossed the Tongtian River on the turtle’s back, and the turtle asked when he might cultivate human nature.
• After reaching the opposite bank, Sun Wukong helped Tang Xuanzang onto his horse, and the group continued west.
• The travelers found grass, flowers, and trees ahead in the frozen landscape, and Tang Xuanzang warned Sun Wukong to be cautious.

Tang Xuanzang and his disciples reached houses that Sun Wukong suspected were linked to monsters, so he left to find food after drawing a protective circle around his master. Zhu Bajie persuaded Tang Xuanzang to leave the circle, and the group reached another house where Zhu Bajie found clothes but no one inside.

• Sun Wukong saw Yao Qi above the houses and warned Tang Xuanzang that the place was dangerous.
• Sun Wukong drew a protective circle around Tang Xuanzang and went south to find food.
• An old man told Sun Wukong he had taken the wrong road, but Sun Wukong entered the man's house and scooped up rice.
• Zhu Bajie persuaded Tang Xuanzang to leave the circle, and Sha Wujing led the horse as the group continued on.
• Zhu Bajie entered a house, found no one there, and brought Tang Xuanzang some clothes he thought had been left behind.

Zhu Bajie was trapped by enchanted clothes, and a monster captured him, Tang Xuanzang, Sha Wujing, and their luggage. Sun Wukong learned where they had been taken and reached the monster's cave, where a crowd of little monsters awaited him.

• Zhu Bajie put on the monster's clothes, which tightened and bound him, alerting the monster to the travelers.
• The monster's underlings captured Tang Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing and took them and their luggage to the cave.
• Zhu Bajie told the monster that Sun Wukong was his eldest disciple, and the monster ordered his underlings to wait for Sun Wukong before cooking the captives.
• Sun Wukong found the conjured house gone and learned from the mountain god and land god that a powerful monster had captured his companions.
• Sun Wukong went to the cave and questioned one of the many little monsters gathered outside.

Sun Wukong confronted the demon who had captured his master, but the demon used a white ring to take the Ruyi Jingu Bang. After the Jade Emperor’s search found no missing beings in Heaven, Sun Wukong returned with heavenly allies, including Nezha, and Nezha challenged the demon at his cave.

• Sun Wukong let a monster go after it promised to tell its king about him, then fought the demon king outside the cave.
• The demon king summoned his minions, but Sun Wukong scattered them with his Jingu Bang before the demon king used a white ring to seize the weapon.
• Sun Wukong went to Heaven and asked the Jade Emperor to check whether a monster was missing; the search found none.
• The Jade Emperor permitted immortals to accompany Sun Wukong, who returned to the cave with heavenly allies.
• Nezha told the demon king he had come on the Jade Emperor’s orders to capture him, and the demon king angrily challenged him.

Nezha and the celestial immortals failed to defeat the Yaomo, whose white ring took their weapons. Sun Wukong recovered the stolen weapons and set the demon’s cave ablaze, but the Yaomo saved Tang Xuanzang and kept his treasure; dawn broke with the Yaomo still at large.

• Nezha transformed and attacked the Yaomo with six weapons, but the Yaomo used a ring to take them.
• Sun Wukong summoned the Fire Virtue Star Lord and Water Virtue Star Lord, but the Yaomo’s ring took their weapons too.
• Sun Wukong sneaked into the cave, reclaimed his Ruyi Jingu Bang, and fought the Yaomo before letting him retreat.
• Sun Wukong returned to the cave in disguise but found the Yaomo guarding his ring, so he used monkey hairs to create monkeys that carried off the immortals’ weapons.
• The monkeys accidentally ignited the cave with the Fire Virtue Star Lord’s weapon, and the Yaomo used his ring to extinguish the flames before checking that Tang Xuanzang was safe.

Sun Wukong discovered that the monster was Taishang Laojun’s escaped azure bull, whose Vajra Bracelet had been taking everyone’s weapons. After Taishang Laojun subdued the bull and Sun Wukong recovered his weapon, the Mountain God and Land God brought Tang Xuanzang a meal.

• The Azure Bull Spirit used his white ring to take Sun Wukong and the immortals’ weapons again, so Sun Wukong went to Buddha Tathagata for help.
• The Dragon-Subduing Arhat and Tiger-Taming Arhat failed to defeat the monster, and the Dragon-Subduing Arhat sent Sun Wukong to seek Taishang Laojun.
• Taishang Laojun discovered that his azure bull had escaped while a child slept after eating a Seven-Day Pill, and he realized the bull had taken his Vajra Bracelet.
• Sun Wukong led Taishang Laojun to the Azure Bull Spirit, who surrendered after Taishang Laojun recovered the ring and used the Plantain Fan; Sun Wukong then killed the lesser demons and retrieved his weapon.
• The Mountain God and Land God brought Tang Xuanzang a meal and told him that Sun Wukong had gone to great trouble to rescue him.

Tang Xuanzang and his companions ignored an immortal’s warning not to drink local water, and Tang Xuanzang and Zhu Bajie soon suffered severe stomach pain. Sun Wukong could find no cause as their bellies swelled, leaving him unsure how to help them.

• Tang Xuanzang thanked Sun Wukong for rescuing him and promised to heed his advice, while Sun Wukong warned Zhu Bajie not to mislead their master.
• An old man warned Tang Xuanzang not to drink the water ahead, then vanished and revealed himself as a house; Sun Wukong urged the group to follow the warning.
• Sun Wukong filled a gourd with water, but a fierce wind knocked it down and spilled it, leaving the group without their supply.
• When thirst overcame them, Tang Xuanzang, Zhu Bajie, and the others drank from a lake despite the warning, while Sun Wukong abstained.
• As they neared a city, Tang Xuanzang and Zhu Bajie developed severe stomach pain and rapidly swelling bellies, and Sun Wukong found no Yao Qi or clear cause.

Tang Xuanzang and Zhu Bajie drank from the Mother-Child River in the Women's Kingdom, and Sun Wukong went to obtain the spring water that could undo the pregnancy. At the spring, Ruyi True Immortal attacked Sun Wukong over his nephew, whom Sun Wukong had once harmed.

• An old woman explained that the Mother-Child River caused pregnancy and that only water from a guarded spring could dissolve the child.
• Sun Wukong flew to the mountain spring after learning that Ruyi True Immortal guarded it and demanded valuables for water.
• Ruyi True Immortal attacked Sun Wukong despite his request for water.
• Ruyi True Immortal revealed that he sought revenge because Sun Wukong had harmed his nephew, the Bull Devil King's son.
• Sun Wukong argued that the nephew had become Sudhana under Bodhisattva Guanyin, but Ruyi True Immortal insisted he would have been better off as a king.

Sun Wukong and Sha Wujing fought the Daoist and obtained water to cure Tang Xuanzang’s pregnancy. After recovering, the master and disciples reached the Women's Kingdom, where Zhu Bajie's appearance frightened the women away.

• Sun Wukong fought the old man and the Daoist, but could not draw water from the well alone.
• Sun Wukong distracted the old man while Sha Wujing entered the temple, defeated the Daoist, and drew a bucket of water.
• Tang Xuanzang drank the water, and the fetus in his belly turned into a lump of flesh; Zhu Bajie ate the food the old woman served.
• The next day, Tang Xuanzang and his disciples thanked the old woman and left the village for the Women's Kingdom.
• The women welcomed the men, but fled when they saw Zhu Bajie, and the group continued to the royal palace.

The queen of the Women's Kingdom decided to propose marriage to Tang Xuanzang and keep him in her kingdom while his disciples continued the pilgrimage. Tang Xuanzang refused because he had to fetch the scriptures, and Sun Wukong suggested that staying might be acceptable, prompting Tang Xuanzang to rebuke him.

• The queen learned Tang Xuanzang had arrived and decided to offer him her kingdom and ask him to become her husband.
• The queen sent the grand preceptor and a minister to propose marriage to Tang Xuanzang.
• Tang Xuanzang refused the proposal, explaining that he had to travel to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures.
• Zhu Bajie offered himself and his fellow disciples as alternatives and suggested exchanging Tang Xuanzang's travel documents so the disciples could continue the pilgrimage.
• Sun Wukong told Zhu Bajie not to interfere and suggested Tang Xuanzang could stay, but Tang Xuanzang scolded him for risking the Great Tang emperor's reputation.

Sun Wukong persuaded Tang Xuanzang to agree to the king’s marriage proposal so they could secure their travel documents and escape without harming the kingdom’s people. The king brought Tang Xuanzang into the city and palace, while the others followed and prepared for a banquet.

• Sun Wukong agreed to leave Tang Xuanzang behind as the king’s husband, asking the grand preceptor to exchange the travel documents and arrange a banquet.
• After the grand preceptor left, Sun Wukong explained to Tang Xuanzang that the marriage was a ruse to obtain the documents and avoid fighting the kingdom’s people.
• The grand preceptor told the king the betrothal was arranged, and the king set out to fetch Tang Xuanzang.
• Tang Xuanzang boarded the king’s carriage, and Sun Wukong urged him to go along so they could secure the travel documents.
• The king entered the city with Tang Xuanzang, while Zhu Bajie sought food and Sha Wujing carried the luggage and led the white horse.
• The king and Tang Xuanzang arrived at the palace, where the grand preceptor welcomed them and the king led Tang Xuanzang inside.

Tang Xuanzang secured the travel documents from the queen and left the Women's Kingdom with his disciples after refusing to marry her. As the group set out, a woman carried Tang Xuanzang away in a whirlwind, and Sun Wukong hurried to rescue him.

• Zhu Bajie ate his fill at the feast while Tang Xuanzang asked the queen for the travel documents.
• The queen stamped the documents, wrote down the disciples' Dharma names, and offered silver, clothes, and food; Zhu Bajie accepted the food.
• Tang Xuanzang asked to accompany the king outside the city, then revealed he intended to leave for Western Heaven rather than marry the queen.
• Zhu Bajie rebuked the queen, and Tang Xuanzang mounted the White Dragon Horse to depart with his disciples.
• A woman appeared by the roadside and carried Tang Xuanzang away in a whirlwind after Sha Wujing struck at her.
• Sun Wukong learned from Sha Wujing that Tang Xuanzang had vanished and ordered him to help rescue their master.

Sun Wukong tracked the demon who had abducted Tang Xuanzang to her cave and discovered she was serving him human-flesh buns. He tried to rescue his master, but the demon fought off Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie and wounded Sun Wukong with her tail, leaving the two disciples retreating in pain.

• Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing followed the whirlwind to a mountain cave, where Sun Wukong entered disguised as a bee.
• Sun Wukong found Tang Xuanzang pale and tearful, and learned the female demon offered him buns filled with human flesh or bean paste.
• Sun Wukong revealed himself and confronted the demon, who sent her minions to take Tang Xuanzang away and attacked with a steel fork.
• Zhu Bajie joined Sun Wukong in fighting the demon, but her fire scorched Zhu Bajie's fur and neither side gained the advantage.
• The demon stung Sun Wukong's scalp with her tail, forcing him and Zhu Bajie to retreat while she returned to her cave in triumph.

Sun Wukong was injured by the Scorpion Spirit while trying to rescue Tang Xuanzang, and a Bodhisattva sent him to seek help from a star official at the Palace of Light. The star official arrived at Scorpion Cave and cured Zhu Bajie's sore lips, while Sun Wukong asked him to treat his head.

• Sun Wukong told Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing that the monster had stabbed his head with a needle-like weapon and explained how he had seen Tang Xuanzang inside the cave.
• Sun Wukong flew back into the cave to speak with Tang Xuanzang, but the Scorpion Spirit attacked him and he escaped without rescuing his master.
• A Bodhisattva revealed that the monster was a scorpion spirit whose head-hook had injured Sun Wukong, then directed him to seek a star official at the Palace of Light.
• Sun Wukong brought the star official to Scorpion Cave, where the official cured Zhu Bajie's sore lips.
• Sun Wukong asked the star official to treat his injured head.

The Star Officer revealed his true form as a rooster and helped Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing defeat the scorpion monster and rescue Tang Xuanzang. After reuniting with the king of the Women's Kingdom, the pilgrims resumed their journey and reached a dangerous-looking mountain, where Tang Xuanzang argued against relying on heavenly immortals for help.

• The Star Officer revealed his rooster form, and Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing fought the scorpion monster until Zhu Bajie smashed it to a pulp.
• The Star Officer took the scorpion's corpse, while Sun Wukong killed the lesser monsters and rescued Tang Xuanzang from the cave.
• The Star Officer quietly left, and Sun Wukong reassured Tang Xuanzang before leading him back to the king of the Women's Kingdom.
• The king of the Women's Kingdom welcomed Tang Xuanzang and asked him to stay, but he refused and continued his pilgrimage.
• Sun Wukong burned the scorpion's cave, and the pilgrims arrived at a steep mountain where Tang Xuanzang warned against depending on immortals to retrieve the scriptures.

Tang Xuanzang and his disciples were stopped by bandits, who tied him to a tree after he claimed to have no money. Sun Wukong approached in disguise to learn what Tang Xuanzang had told the bandits, and was delighted to hear that he had promised them money from his disciple.

• Zhu Bajie struggled to lead the White Dragon Horse until Sun Wukong used his Ruyi Jingu Bang to make it gallop.
• Dozens of armed men stopped Tang Xuanzang and demanded his valuables and White Dragon Horse.
• Tang Xuanzang pleaded with the bandits, then claimed his youngest disciple was carrying money and would arrive soon.
• The bandits tied Tang Xuanzang up and hung him from a tree.
• Sun Wukong arrived with Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, then transformed into a young monk to question Tang Xuanzang.
• Tang Xuanzang admitted that he had told the bandits Sun Wukong had money, and Sun Wukong began to respond with delight.

Sun Wukong let Tang Xuanzang escape the robbers, then revealed his Ruyi Jingu Bang and killed two robbers while driving the rest away. Zhu Bajie reached him with Tang Xuanzang's plea for mercy and discovered the two fallen robbers had been killed.

• Sun Wukong told the robbers to take their stolen goods in exchange for sparing Tang Xuanzang, and Tang Xuanzang rode away.
• Sun Wukong endured the robbers' blows, revealed the Ruyi Jingu Bang, and challenged them to lift it.
• Sun Wukong killed two robbers with his staff, and the others fled.
• Tang Xuanzang met Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing and sent Zhu Bajie to tell Sun Wukong not to kill the robbers.
• Zhu Bajie found Sun Wukong and saw that two robbers lying nearby had holes in their heads.