Chapter 34: The Demon King Schemes to Trap the Heart Ape; The Great Sage Uses Cunning to Swindle the Treasures

Chapter 34: The Demon King Uses Cunning to Trap the Mind Ape; The Great Sage Uses Trickery to Swindle the Treasures

Now, those two little imps, holding the fake gourd in their hands, argued over it for a while, then suddenly looked up and saw that the Immortal had disappeared. Lingli Chong said, "Brother, even Immortals can tell lies. He said he'd trade treasures and make us immortals—why did he leave without even saying goodbye?" Jingxi Gui replied, "We've gotten a great bargain; would he dare to leave just like that? Hand me the gourd—let me try to contain the sky and test it out." He truly tossed the gourd upward, but with a puff, it fell straight down. Startled, Lingli Chong cried, "Why won't it contain? Won't it contain? Could it be that Sun Xingzhe disguised himself as an Immortal and swapped a fake gourd for our real one?" Jingxi Gui said, "Don't talk nonsense. Sun Xingzhe is pinned under those three mountains—how could he get out? Give it here, let me recite those incantations of his and try to contain it." This imp also flung the gourd into the air, chanting, "If there's half a word of refusal, I'll go straight to the Hall of Divine Mists and raise arms in battle." Before he could finish, puff, it fell down again. The two imps said, "It won't contain, it won't contain—it must be a fake."

Just as they were shouting, the Great Sage Sun, hovering in midair, heard and saw everything clearly. Fearing that if they kept at it too long, word might leak out at a critical moment, he shook his body and withdrew the hair that had transformed into the gourd back onto himself, leaving both imps empty-handed. Jingxi Gui said, "Brother, hand me the gourd." Lingli Chong replied, "You're holding it." "Heavens! Where has it gone?" They scrambled on the ground, fumbling in the grass, turning out their sleeves, and searching their waistbands—but it was nowhere to be found. The two imps stood there dumbfounded, saying, "What do we do? What do we do? The Great King gave us the treasures and told us to capture Sun Xingzhe. Now we haven't caught Sun Xingzhe, and the treasures are gone—how dare we go back and report? We'll surely be beaten to death on the spot. What do we do? What do we do?" Lingli Chong said, "Let's flee." Jingxi Gui asked, "Where would we go?" Lingli Chong replied, "Anywhere at all. If we go back and say the treasures are lost, we're dead for sure." Jingxi Gui said, "Don't flee—better to go back. The Second Great King has always treated you well; I'll shift the blame onto you. If he's willing to let it slide, we might save our lives; if not, even if we're beaten to death, at least we'll still be here. Don't end up with nothing good on either side. Let's go, let's go." The imps discussed it, then turned around and headed back to the mountain.

As the Pilgrim watched from midair, seeing them return, he shook himself and transformed again, this time into a fly. He flew down and followed the little imps. Now, you may ask: since he had turned into a fly, where did he put the treasure? If he discarded it on the road or hid it in the grass, someone might see and take it—wouldn't all his efforts be in vain? He still carried it on his person. But carrying it on his person—a fly is no bigger than a bean—how could it hold such a thing? It turns out that his treasure, like his Golden-Banded Staff, was called the (Ruyi Buddhist Treasure), which could change with his body, growing large or small. Thus, it could indeed be carried on his person.

With a buzz, he flew down and followed the imps closely. Before long, they reached the cave. Inside, the two demon kings were sitting and drinking wine. The little imps knelt before them. The Pilgrim landed on the door frame and listened intently. The little imps said, "Great King." The two elder demons immediately set down their cups and said, "You're back?" The imps replied, "We're back." The demons asked, "Did you capture Sun Xingzhe?" The little imps kowtowed but dared not speak. The elder demon asked again, and again they dared not answer, only kowtowing. After several inquiries, the little imps prostrated themselves on the ground: "Spare us ten thousand deaths, spare us ten thousand deaths. We took the treasures and went halfway up the mountain when we suddenly met an Immortal from Penglai Mountain. He asked where we were going, and we answered, 'To capture Sun Xingzhe.' When the Immortal heard the name Sun Xingzhe, he too was angered by him and wanted to help us. But we didn't ask for his help; instead, we told him the whole story of using the treasure to contain people. That Immortal also had a gourd, adept at containing the sky. Out of vain hope and a desire to benefit our household, we thought: his contains the sky, ours contains people—so we traded. At first, it was gourd for gourd, but Lingli Chong added a pure vase as a bonus. Who would have thought that the Immortal's possessions cannot be handled by mortal hands? While we were testing it, even the person disappeared. We beg you, a thousand times, to forgive our mortal sins."

When the elder demon heard this, he roared with fury: "Enough, enough! This is Sun Xingzhe disguising himself as an Immortal to cheat and steal it away. That monkey's powers are vast, and he knows everyone everywhere. Some petty spirit must have released him, and he came to trick us out of our treasures." The second demon said, "Elder brother, calm your anger. That monkey is truly insolent. If he had the skill, he could have just left, but why did he have to steal our treasures? If I don't have the ability to capture him, I'll never be a demon on the Western Road again." The elder demon asked, "How will you capture him?" The second demon replied, "We have five treasures; two are lost, but we still have three. We must capture him." The elder demon asked, "What are the remaining three?" The second demon said, "The Seven-Star Sword and the Banana-Leaf Fan are with me, and that Golden Cord of Deception is kept by our old mother at the Ya Long Cave on Ya Long Mountain. Now, let's send two little imps to invite Mother to come eat Tang Sanzang's flesh, and have her bring the Golden Cord of Deception to capture Sun Xingzhe." The elder demon asked, "Whom shall we send?" The second demon said, "We won't send such useless fools." He shouted at Jingxi Gui and Lingli Chong to retreat. The two said, "What luck, what luck—no beating, no scolding, just let off like that." The second demon ordered, "Call the regular attendants, Bashan Hu and Yihai Long, here." The two knelt down, and the second demon instructed, "You must be careful." Both replied, "We will be careful." "Be thorough." Both replied, "We will be thorough." Then he asked, "Do you know where the old lady lives?" Both replied, "We know." "Since you know, hurry along. Go to the old lady's place, pay her many respects, and say we invite her to eat Tang Sanzang's flesh. Tell her to bring the Golden Cord of Deception to capture Sun Xingzhe."

The two imps took the order and set off swiftly. Little did they know that the Pilgrim, standing nearby, had heard every word clearly. Spreading his wings, he flew over, caught up with Bashan Hu, and clung to him. After traveling two or three li, he was about to strike them both dead. But then he thought, "What's so hard about killing them? But their old lady has that Golden Cord of Deception, and I don't know where she lives. Let me question them first before I strike." Good Pilgrim! With a buzz, he left the little imps, letting them go ahead about a hundred paces. Then he shook himself and transformed into another little imp, wearing a fox-fur cap and pulling his tiger-skin skirt up to fasten it tightly. He caught up and said, "You there on the road, wait for me." Yihai Long turned back and asked, "Where did you come from?" The Pilgrim said, "Good brother, don't you even recognize your own people?" The little imp said, "We have no one like you in our household." The Pilgrim said, "How can you say I'm not? Take another look at me." The little imp said, "You look unfamiliar, unfamiliar—I've never seen you before." The Pilgrim said, "Exactly. You've never seen me—I'm from an outside shift." The little imp said, "Officer from the outside shift, indeed I've never seen you. Where are you going?" The Pilgrim said, "The Great King sent you two to invite the old lady to eat Tang Sanzang's flesh, and told her to bring the Golden Cord of Deception to capture Sun Xingzhe. Fearing you two might walk too slowly or get distracted and delay the important matter, he sent me to hurry you along."

When the little imps heard him speak of their innermost secrets, they had no further doubts and truly took the Pilgrim for one of their own. They hurried along at top speed, running for another eight or nine li without stopping. The Pilgrim said, "We're going a bit too fast. How far from home have we come?" The little imp said, "About fifteen or sixteen li." The Pilgrim asked, "How much farther?" Yihai Long pointed and said, "It's right in that black forest." The Pilgrim looked up and saw a stretch of dark woods not far ahead, and guessed that the old demon was somewhere within the forest. He stopped in his tracks, letting the little imp go on ahead. Then he pulled out his iron staff, stepped forward, and scraped it across their heels. Pitiful creatures, too frail to withstand such a blow—the two imps were crushed into a single meat patty. He dragged them by their feet and hid them in the deep grass by the roadside. Then he plucked a hair, blew on it with an immortal breath, and said, "Change!" It turned into Bashan Hu, while he himself transformed into Yihai Long. Thus disguised as the two little imps, he went straight to the Ya Long Cave to invite the old lady. This is called: Seventy-two transformations, vast in their might; shifting things with tricks, his skill is bright.

In a few steps, he leaped into the woods. While searching, he saw two stone gates, half-open and half-closed, and dared not enter rashly. He could only put on an act and call out, "Open up! Open up!" This startled the female demon guarding the gate, who opened one leaf of the gate and asked, "Where are you from?" Pilgrim said, "I’ve been sent from the Lotus Flower Cave on Flat-Top Mountain to invite the Old Lady." The female demon said, "Enter." When he reached the second gate, he craned his neck and peered inside, and saw an old woman sitting in the very center. Do you want to know what she looked like? Behold:

Her snow-white temple hair was loose and disheveled, glistening like starlight. Her face was ruddy and wrinkled, her teeth sparse but her spirit vigorous. Her features were like flowers withered in frost, her form like an aged pine after rain. On her head was wound a white silk headcloth, and from her ears dangled golden rings set with jewels.

When the Great Sage Sun saw her, he dared not go in, but stood outside the second gate with a long face, secretly weeping. Do you ask why he wept? Was it because he feared her? Even if he feared her, he would not have wept, and besides, he had deceived her out of her treasure and killed her little demons, so why did he cry? He had once been boiled in a nine-tripod oil cauldron for seven or eight days without shedding a single tear. But now, thinking of the hardships of escorting Tang Monk to fetch the scriptures, tears gushed from his pained heart, and he wailed aloud. In his heart, he thought: "Old Monkey, since I’ve shown my skill by turning into a little demon to invite this old fiend, there’s no way I can stand and speak without proper form; I must kowtow to her. I’ve made myself a hero in this world, and I’ve only bowed to three people: the Buddha in the Western Heaven; Guanyin in the Southern Sea; and at the Double Boundary Mountain, my master saved me, and I bowed to him four times. For his sake, I’ve shattered my six-leafed liver and lungs and worn out my three hairs and seven-apertured heart. What is one scripture scroll worth? Yet today I’m forced to bow to this fiend. If I don’t kneel, it will surely give me away. Bitter! It’s all because my master is trapped that I must suffer this humiliation at another’s hands."

Having no choice in the matter, he charged inside, knelt down, and said, "Grandmother, I kowtow to you." The fiend said, "My child, rise." Pilgrim muttered to himself, "Good, good, good! That was solidly called!" The old fiend asked, "Where are you from?" Pilgrim said, "From the Lotus Flower Cave on Flat-Top Mountain. By order of the two great kings, I’ve been sent to invite Grandmother to eat Tang Monk’s flesh, and I’m to bring the Golden-Banded Rope to capture Sun Pilgrim." The old fiend was overjoyed and said, "What a filial son." She then ordered the sedan chair to be brought out. Pilgrim thought, "My child, even demons ride in sedan chairs?" From the rear chamber, two female demons carried out a sedan chair made of fragrant rattan, placing it outside the gate and hanging green silk curtains around it. The old fiend rose, left the cave, and sat in the chair. Behind her, several little female demons held a dressing case, carried a mirror stand, lifted a towel, and supported an incense box, following on either side. The old fiend said, "What are you doing here? When I go to my own sons, do you think I’ll lack for attendants? Why do you come fussing and chattering? All of you go back, shut the gate, and watch the house." Those little demons indeed all returned, leaving only the two sedan-chair bearers. The old fiend asked, "What are the names of those who were sent?" Pilgrim quickly answered, "One is called Mountain-Tiger Ba, and I am Sea-Dragon Yi." The old fiend said, "You two go ahead and clear the way for me." Pilgrim thought to himself, "What rotten luck! I haven’t even gotten the scriptures yet, and now I’m acting as her servant." But he dared not disobey, so he led the way, shouting loudly as he went.

After walking about five or six miles, he sat down on a rocky cliff and waited for the sedan chair to arrive. When it did, Pilgrim said, "How about a short rest? My shoulder is killing me from the pressure." The little demons, knowing nothing of tricks, set the sedan chair down. Pilgrim, behind the chair, plucked a hair from his chest and turned it into a large baked cake, holding it and taking bites. The bearers said, "Sir, what are you eating?" Pilgrim said, "It’s not worth mentioning. With such a long road to invite Grandmother, and no reward given, I got hungry. This was my own dry rations I brought along; let me eat a bit before we go on." The bearers said, "Give us some to eat." Pilgrim laughed and said, "Come on, we’re all one family—why be stingy?" Those little demons, not knowing good from bad, crowded around Pilgrim to share his food. Pilgrim then pulled out his staff and, with a swipe at their heads: one who was struck was smashed to pulp; another who was grazed, though not dead, still groaned. The old fiend in the sedan chair heard the groaning, and as she stuck her head out to look, Pilgrim leaped to the front of the chair, struck her square on the head with his staff, and smashed a hole in it, sending brains and blood spurting everywhere. When he dragged her out of the chair to look, it turned out to be a nine-tailed fox. Pilgrim laughed and said, "You wicked beast, calling yourself ‘Old Grandmother.’ If you’re the grandmother, then you should call Old Monkey your great-great-grandfather!"

Good Monkey King, he searched out the Golden-Banded Rope from her, tucked it into his sleeve, and said joyfully, "That villainous demon may have skill, but these three treasures now belong to Sun." Then he plucked two hairs and turned them into Mountain-Tiger Ba and Sea-Dragon Yi; he plucked two more and turned them into the two sedan-chair bearers; and he himself took on the appearance of the old fiend, sitting in the sedan chair. They lifted the chair and headed straight back along the same road.

Before long, they reached the Lotus Flower Cave. The little demons transformed from hairs were at the front, calling, "Open up! Open up!" Inside, the gate-keeping little demon opened the gate and asked, "Have Mountain-Tiger Ba and Sea-Dragon Yi arrived?" The hair-demons said, "We’ve arrived." "And the Grandmother you invited?" The hair-demons pointed and said, "Isn’t that her in the sedan chair?" The little demon said, "Wait a moment, let me go in and report." He reported, "Great King, Grandmother has come." When the two demon chiefs heard this, they ordered incense tables to be prepared for the reception. Pilgrim heard this and secretly rejoiced, "What luck! Now it’s my turn to play the man. Earlier I turned into a little demon to invite the old fiend and kowtowed to her once; now I’ve turned into her mother, and they’ll surely perform the four-bow salute. Though it’s nothing much, I’ll at least get two bows out of them." Good Great Sage, he got out of the sedan chair, shook out his clothes, and retrieved the four hairs back onto his body. The gate-keeping little demon carried the empty sedan chair inside. He then followed slowly, acting all dainty and coy, just like the old fiend’s manner, and went straight in. Then all the demons, great and small, came to kneel in welcome. Drums and pipes played loudly; incense smoke curled thickly from the censer. He went into the main hall, sat facing south, and the two demon chiefs knelt on both knees, kowtowing and calling out, "Mother, your sons bow to you." Pilgrim said, "My children, rise."

Now, Zhu Bajie, hanging from the beam, let out a loud laugh. Sha Monk said, "Second Brother, good for you—you’re laughing even while hanging." Bajie said, "Brother, there’s a reason for my laughter." Sha Monk asked, "What reason?" Bajie said, "We were afraid that when Grandmother came, we’d be steamed and eaten. But it turns out it’s not Grandmother—it’s an old acquaintance." Sha Monk said, "What old acquaintance?" Bajie laughed and said, "The Horse-Plague Star has come." Sha Monk asked, "How do you recognize him?" Bajie said, "When he bent over and said, ‘My children, rise,’ his monkey tail stuck out behind. I’m hanging higher than you, so I saw it clearly." Sha Monk said, "Let’s not talk for now; let’s hear what he says." Bajie said, "Right, right."

The Great Sage Sun, sitting in the middle, asked, "My children, what business do you have in inviting me here?" The demon chiefs said, "Mother, we’ve been remiss in our filial duties these past days and haven’t served you. This morning, your foolish sons captured a Tang Monk from the East, but we didn’t dare eat him on our own. We invited you here to present this live offering, so that you can be steamed and eaten to prolong your life." Pilgrim said, "My children, I don’t care to eat Tang Monk’s flesh. I’ve heard that Zhu Bajie’s ears are quite good; cut them off, prepare them properly, and I’ll have them with my wine." When Bajie heard this, he panicked and said, "Plague-stricken wretch! You’ve come to cut off my ears! If I shout out, it won’t sound good!"

Alas! Because of the idiot’s straightforward remark, the news of the Monkey King’s disguise leaked out. Several little demons who had been patrolling the mountains and the gate-keeping demons all rushed in and reported, "Great King, calamity! Sun Pilgrim has killed Grandmother and is here disguised as her!" When the demon chiefs heard this, they gave no time for explanations. Drawing their Seven-Star Sword, they slashed at Pilgrim’s face. Good Great Sage, he shook himself, and in a flash of red light filling the cave, he was gone. With such skill, he was indeed a fine fellow to frolic with. Truly, it is: gathering, he takes form; scattering, he turns to vapor.

The old demon king was so terrified that his soul flew away and scattered, and all the little demons bit their fingers and shook their heads. The old demon said, "Brother, let's return Tang Sanzang, Sha Monk, Zhu Bajie, the white horse, and the luggage to that Sun Xingzhe, and shut this door that stirs up trouble." The second demon said, "Elder brother, what words are you speaking? I don't know how much hardship I endured, expending this scheme, before I managed to catch all those monks. Now, just because you're afraid of Sun Xingzhe's tricks, you want to give them all back to him? One could truly say you're a man who fears the sword and dodges the blade—where is the behavior of a true man? Sit down for now and don't be afraid. I've heard you say Sun Xingzhe has vast supernatural powers. Though I've met him once, I've never sparred with him. Bring me my armor; let me go find him and exchange a few rounds. If he can't defeat me in three bouts, then Tang Sanzang will still be our food; if I can't overcome him in three bouts, then we can return Tang Sanzang then, and it won't be too late." The old demon said, "Worthy brother speaks rightly." So he ordered someone to bring the armor.

The demons brought out the armor, and the second demon put it on fully, grasped his precious sword, walked outside the gate, and called out, "Sun Xingzhe, where have you run off to?" At that moment, the Great Sage was already among the clouds. Hearing his name called, he quickly turned his head to look, and there was that second demon. See how he was arrayed:

On his head he wore a phoenix helmet whiter than; on his body, a gleaming armor robe of iron plates.

Round his waist was a belt made of flood-dragon sinew; on his feet, boots of pink leather with plum-petal creases.

His face was like the True Lord of Guan Pass; his appearance matched the Giant Spirit God without difference.

In his hand he raised a seven-star sword; his fury soared to the heavens, his might awe-inspiring.

The second demon called out loudly, "Sun Xingzhe, quickly return my treasure and my mother, and I'll spare you to go fetch the scriptures." The Great Sage could not hold back his curses: "You foul monster, you've mistaken your grandfather Sun. Hurry up and return my master, my martial brothers, the white horse, and the luggage, and then give me some traveling expenses to head west; if you utter half the word 'no' from between your teeth, then go twist yourself a rope and hang yourself, sparing your grandfather the trouble of moving." When the second demon heard this, he swiftly leaped up on his cloud, sprang into the air, and swung his sword to stab; the Great Sage drew out his iron staff and met him face to face. The two of them, in midair, fought a fine battle:

Two chess masters met, two generals encountered their match. When chess masters meet, it's hard to hide one's pleasure; when generals encounter their match, they can use their skills. Those two divine generals crossed swords, like a fight between Southern Mountain tigers and a struggle of Northern Sea dragons. When dragons struggle, their scales shine; when tigers fight, their claws and fangs fly. Claws and fangs scattering like silver hooks thrown down, scales shining like iron leaves set up. This one turned over and over, with a thousand forms of technique; that one came and went, without a moment's respite. The golden-banded staff, a mere three-tenths of an inch from the head; the seven-star sword, only a single thrust from the heart. One's might made the Dipper stars grow cold; the other's fury surpassed the danger of thunder and lightning.

They fought for thirty rounds, with neither gaining the upper hand.

The Great Sage secretly rejoiced: "This foul monster can actually withstand old Sun's iron staff. I've already gotten his three treasures, but if I keep fighting bitterly with him like this, won't I be wasting my time? It would be better to take the gourd or the pure vase and put him inside—how fine would that be?" Then he thought, "No, no. The saying goes: 'Things follow their master's will.' If I call him and he doesn't answer, won't that spoil the big matter again? Better use the golden cord to snare his head." Good Great Sage, with one hand he used his staff to fend off the monster's treasure, and with the other hand he took that rope, and with a swoosh, he snared the demon head.

Now, that demon head had a tightening spell and a loosening spell for the rope. If he snared someone else, he'd recite the tightening spell, and no one could escape; if he snared one of his own, he'd recite the loosening spell, so it wouldn't harm the body. Recognizing his own treasure, he recited the loosening spell, loosened the rope, slipped out, and instead threw it back at the Great Sage, quickly snaring him. The Great Sage was about to use the "shrinking-body method" to escape, but that demon head recited the tightening spell, binding him tightly—how could he escape? The rope slipped down to his neck, and it turned out to be a golden circlet that trapped him. The monster pulled the rope, yanked it down, and struck his bald head seven or eight times with the sword. The Great Sage's scalp didn't even redden. The demon said, "You monkey, with a head this hard, I won't cut you anymore; I'll take you back first, then beat you. Give me back my two treasures quickly." The Great Sage said, "What treasure of yours did I take? Why do you demand it from me?" That demon head searched his body thoroughly and found both the gourd and the pure vase. Then he pulled the rope and led him into the cave, saying, "Elder brother, I've caught him." The old demon said, "Caught whom?" The second demon said, "Sun Xingzhe. Come look, come look." The old demon looked, recognized it was the Great Sage, and beamed with joy, laughing: "It's him, it's him. Tie him to the pillar with a long rope for sport." And so they tied the Great Sage up, and the two demon heads went into the back hall to drink wine.

The Great Sage, at the foot of the pillar, squirmed and crawled, startling Bajie. That idiot, hanging from the beam, laughed heartily and said, "Elder brother, we won't be eating any ears now." The Great Sage said, "Idiot, are you comfortable hanging there? I'm going out right now, and I'll surely save all of you." Bajie said, "No shame, no shame. You can't even free yourself, yet you still think of saving others. Enough, enough—master and disciples will die together in one place, and we'll ask the way in the underworld." The Great Sage said, "Don't talk nonsense; watch me get out." Bajie said, "How will I see you get out?" The Great Sage, while talking to Bajie, kept his eyes on the two monsters. Seeing them drinking inside, with several little demons holding plates and jugs, pouring wine, running back and forth without rest, the guard was somewhat slack. Seeing no one in front of him, he used his divine power: He slipped out his staff, blew a mouthful of immortal breath, and said, "Change!" It turned into a pure steel file; he twisted it against the circlet around his neck, and in three or five strokes, filed it into two pieces. Opening the file's mouth, he slipped out. He plucked out a hair, blew on it, and turned it into a false body, tied there. His true body, with a flicker, turned into a little demon and stood nearby. Bajie, from the beam, shouted again, "Not good, not good! What's tied is a fake; what's hanging is the real body." The old demon stopped his wine cup and asked, "What is that Zhu Bajie yelling about?" The Great Sage, now turned into a little demon, stepped forward and said, "Zhu Bajie was inciting Sun Xingzhe to teach him to change and escape, but he wouldn't go, and he's yelling over there." The second demon said, "I thought Zhu Bajie was honest, but it turns out he's not honest at all; he deserves twenty strokes of the chatter-stick."

So this Great Sage went to fetch a stick to strike him. Bajie said, "Hit lightly; if you hit too hard, I'll yell again, and I know who you are." The Great Sage said, "Old Sun changed his appearance for your sake, and yet you go and leak the secret? None of the demons in this cave recognized me; how is it that only you recognize me?" Bajie said, "You changed your head and face, but you didn't change your backside—aren't those two red patches on your buttocks? That's how I recognize you." The Great Sage then went to the back, slipped into the kitchen, grabbed a handful of soot from the bottom of the pot, blackened both buttocks, and came back to the front. When Bajie saw him, he laughed again and said, "Where did that monkey go for a while, to come back with a black bottom?"

The Great Sage stood nearby again, intending to steal his treasures. Truly he was resourceful: He walked into the hall and lied to the monster, saying, "Great King, look at that Sun Xingzhe tied to the pillar, crawling and squirming all around; he's worn out that golden rope. You'd better find a stouter rope to replace it." The old demon said, "Well spoken." He untied the lion-silk belt from his waist and handed it to the Great Sage. The Great Sage took the belt and tied up the false Great Sage. He swapped out that rope, coiling it up ring by ring into his sleeve. Then he plucked another hair, blew a mouthful of immortal breath, and turned it into a false golden cord, offering it with both hands to the monster. The monster, greedy for wine, paid no careful attention and accepted it. This is how the Great Sage, with his clever maneuvering, used a hair to exchange for the golden cord once again.

Having obtained this treasure, he quickly turned and leaped out the door, revealing his true form, and called out loudly, "Demon!" The little demon guarding the gate asked, "Who are you, shouting here?" The Walker said, "You go quickly and report to that fiendish demon, saying that the Walker's Brother is here." The little demon went in and reported this, and the elder demon was greatly startled, saying, "We captured Sun the Novice, so how can there be another Walker's Brother?" The second demon said, "Elder Brother, what fear is there of him? The treasures are all in my hands; let me take the gourd out and put him inside." The elder demon said, "Younger Brother, be careful." The second demon took the gourd and went out the mountain gate, where he suddenly saw a person who looked exactly like Sun the Novice, only slightly shorter. He asked, "Where do you come from?" The Walker said, "I am the younger brother of Sun the Novice. Hearing that you have captured my elder brother, I have come especially to pick a quarrel with you." The second demon said, "It was I who captured him, and he is locked up in the cave. Since you have come, you must want to challenge me. I will not fight with you; I will first call your name, and dare you answer me?" The Walker said, "Even if you call a thousand times, I will answer you ten thousand times!" The demon held the treasure, leaped into the air, turned the bottom up to the sky and the mouth down to the ground, and called out, "Walker's Brother." But the Walker did not dare answer, thinking to himself, "If I answer, I will be put inside." The demon said, "Why do you not answer me?" The Walker said, "I am a little hard of hearing and did not hear. Call louder." The monster called again, "Walker's Brother." Below, the Walker counted on his fingers and calculated, saying, "My real name is Sun the Novice, and the ghost name I made up is Walker's Brother. The real name can be put inside, but the ghost name probably cannot be put in." Yet he could not help himself and answered him once. With a whoosh, he was sucked into the gourd, and the seal was pasted on. It turned out that this treasure, whether the name was real or false, could put anyone inside as long as there was the breath of an answer.

When the Great Sage was inside the gourd, it was pitch black. He pushed his head upward, but could not move it at all, and it was especially tightly sealed. Then he grew anxious and thought, "When I met those two little demons on the mountain, they told me that whether it was the gourd or the pure vase, putting a person inside, within a single hour and three-quarters, they would turn to pus and water. Could it be that I am about to be dissolved?" Then he had another thought and said, "No matter, I cannot be dissolved. Five hundred years ago, I, Old Sun, made a great disturbance in Heaven, and was placed by the Supreme Lord Lao Zi in the Eight Trigrams Furnace to be refined for forty-nine days. I was refined into a heart of gold, a liver of silver, a copper head, an iron back, and fiery eyes and golden pupils. How could I be dissolved in a single hour and three-quarters? I will go along with him and see what he does."

The second demon took it inside and said, "Elder Brother, I have brought it." The elder demon said, "Brought who?" The second demon said, "Walker's Brother is put inside the gourd." The elder demon rejoiced and said, "Worthy Younger Brother, please sit down. Do not move; only when it starts to rattle should you remove the seal." When the Walker heard these words, he thought, "With a body like mine, how can I make it rattle? Only if I turn into a thin liquid will it rattle. Let me pee; if it rattles when he shakes it, he will certainly remove the seal and the lid, and I will take the chance to run away." Then he thought again and said, "No good, no good. Though urine can make a sound, it will dirty this robe. When he shakes it, I will gather some saliva and rinse my mouth, making a sloshing sound, to trick him into opening it, and then Old Sun will escape." The Great Sage made his preparations, but the monster, fond of wine, did not shake it. The Great Sage used a magical technique, intending only to trick him into shaking it, and suddenly cried out, "Heavens! My ankle bones are dissolving." The demon still did not shake it. The Great Sage cried out again, "Mother! Even my waist bones are dissolving." The elder demon said, "If it has dissolved to the waist, it is all dissolved. Let us remove the seal and take a look."

Hearing these words, the Great Sage plucked out a single hair and said, "Change!" He changed it into a half-length body at the bottom of the gourd. His true body changed into a tiny cicada insect and clung to the edge of the gourd's mouth. When the second demon removed the seal to look, the Great Sage had already flown out. He turned a somersault and changed into Yi Hai Dragon. Yi Hai Dragon was the little demon who had originally gone to invite the old grandmother. He changed into that form and stood by the side. The elder demon pulled the gourd's mouth open and looked inside, seeing a half-length body moving. He did not distinguish truth from falsehood and hastily called out, "Younger Brother, cover it, cover it, it is not yet fully dissolved." The second demon pasted the seal back on. The Great Sage laughed secretly to himself, "Old Sun does not know that he is already here."

The elder demon took the wine pot, poured a full cup, approached, and with both hands handed it to the second demon, saying, "Worthy Younger Brother, I offer you this cup." The second demon said, "Elder Brother, we have already been drinking for half a day; why offer another cup?" The elder demon said, "Capturing Tang Sanzang, Eight Rules, and Sand Monk is one thing, but you also captured Sun the Novice and put Walker's Brother in the gourd. With such merits, I should offer you several more cups." Seeing his elder brother's respect, the second demon dared not refuse, but with one hand holding the gourd, he could not take the cup with the other, so he handed the gourd to Yi Hai Dragon and took the cup with both hands. He did not know that Yi Hai Dragon was Sun the Novice in disguise. Watch him holding the gourd, serving attentively. The second demon took the wine and drank, and wanted to return the toast. The elder demon said, "No need to return the wine; I will drink a cup with you here." The two of them just kept deferring to each other. The Walker held the gourd atop his head, not blinking, watching the two of them pass cups back and forth, completely off guard, and he slipped the gourd into his sleeve. He plucked a hair, changed it into a fake gourd, exactly the same, and held it in his hand. The demons passed the wine for a while, and then, without looking to see if it was real or fake, the second demon took the treasure. Each went to their seat, sat down calmly, and continued drinking. Sun the Great Sage slipped away, having obtained the treasure, and secretly rejoiced, thinking, "Even if this demon head has skill, after all, the gourd still belongs to the Sun family."

How he would later use it to rescue his master and eliminate the demons is unknown; listen to the explanation in the next chapter.