Chapter 82: The Young Maiden Seeks Yang; The Primal Spirit Guards the Way

The demoness, seeking the yang, protects the Way with her primal spirit.

Now Bajie leaped down the mountain and found a small path. Following this path, he walked for five or six li, when he suddenly saw two female demons drawing water from a well. How did he recognize them as female demons? He saw that on their heads they wore a kind of tall, old-fashioned bamboo-fiber hairpiece, over a foot high. The idiot approached and called out, "Monsters!" The demons grew very angry and said to each other, "This monk is truly detestable. We don't know him, and we've never quarreled with him before. Why does he call us monsters?" Enraged, they picked up the pole they used for carrying water and struck at his head.

This idiot had no weapon in hand and couldn't defend himself. He took a few blows, then clutching his head, ran back up the mountain, saying, "Brother, let's turn back. The demons are fierce." Pilgrim said, "How are they fierce?" Bajie said, "Two female demons in the mountain hollow were drawing water from a well. I only called out to them, and they hit me three or four times with their pole." Pilgrim said, "What did you call them?" Bajie said, "I called them monsters." Pilgrim laughed and said, "You got off lightly." Bajie said, "Thank you for your concern. My head is already swollen, and you say it's light!" Pilgrim said, "A gentle person can travel anywhere; a rigid one can hardly move a step. They are local demons, and we are monks from afar. Even with all your skills, you should show a little courtesy. You went up and called them 'monsters.' If they didn't hit you, would they hit me? People should put ritual and music first." Bajie said, "I understand even less now." Pilgrim said, "You grew up eating people in the mountains. Do you know about two kinds of wood?" Bajie said, "No. What wood?" Pilgrim said, "One is willow wood, the other is sandalwood. Willow wood is very soft; skilled craftsmen take it to carve either sacred images or figures of Tathagata, gild it, inlay it with jade and flowers, and then ten thousand people come to burn incense and bow before it, receiving immeasurable blessings. Sandalwood is hard by nature; oil-press workers take it to make wedges, bind its head with iron hoops, and hammer it down with iron mallets. It suffers this hardship precisely because of its hardness." Bajie said, "Brother, if you had told me this good advice earlier, I wouldn't have been beaten." Pilgrim said, "Go and ask them properly." Bajie said, "This time they'll recognize me." Pilgrim said, "Change your appearance." Bajie said, "Brother, if I change, how should I ask?" Pilgrim said, "Change yourself, go before them, make a bow, and see how old they are. If they're about our age, call them 'young ladies'; if they're older than us, call them 'old ladies.'" Bajie laughed and said, "What bad luck! So far from home, and I'm supposed to know what relatives they are?" Pilgrim said, "It's not about claiming kinship; you need to draw them out. If they have our master, we can strike. If not, we won't waste time going elsewhere." Bajie said, "That makes sense. I'll go again."

Good idiot! He hid his rake in his belt, went down the mountain hollow, shook himself, and changed into a dark, fat monk. Swaying as he walked, he approached the demons and made a deep bow, saying, "Old ladies, this poor monk greets you." The two delighted, said, "This monk is fine; he knows how to bow and how to address us properly." They asked, "Elder, where do you come from?" Bajie said, "From there." They asked, "Where are you going?" He said, "Going there." They asked, "What is your name?" He answered, "My name is What's-his-name." The demons laughed and said, "This monk is good enough, but he has no background; he just echoes our words." Bajie said, "Old ladies, what are you drawing water for?" The demon said, "Monk, don't you know? Our old lady has captured a Tang Monk tonight and brought him into the cave to entertain him. The water in our cave is unclean, so she sent us two here to draw this good water of yin and yang union, to prepare a vegetarian feast for the Tang Monk to eat, so that tonight they can be married."

When the idiot heard this, he quickly turned and ran back up the mountain, shouting, "Sha Monk, bring the luggage quickly. Let's divide it up." Sha Monk said, "Second Brother, what are we dividing again?" Bajie said, "We'll split up. Then you go back to the Flowing Sands River to eat people, I'll go to Gao Village to visit my family, Big Brother will go to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit to claim his sainthood, and the White Dragon Horse will return to the great sea to become a dragon. Master is already in that demon's cave getting married. Each of us should fend for ourselves." Pilgrim said, "This idiot is talking nonsense again." Bajie said, "Your son is talking nonsense. Just now those two water-carrying demons said they're preparing a vegetarian feast for the Tang Monk to eat, and then he's getting married." Pilgrim said, "The demon has trapped Master in the cave, and Master is staring anxiously, hoping we'll rescue him, yet you speak like this." Bajie said, "How do we rescue him?" Pilgrim said, "You two lead the horse and carry the load. We'll follow those two female demons, using them as guides, and when we reach the gate, we'll strike together."

Truly, the idiot had no choice but to go along. Pilgrim kept a distant eye on the two demons as they gradually entered the deep mountains. After about ten or twenty li, they suddenly vanished. Bajie exclaimed in alarm, "Master has been taken by a daytime ghost!" Pilgrim said, "What sharp eyes you have! How did you see their true forms?" Bajie said, "Those two demons were carrying water and suddenly disappeared. Isn't that a daytime ghost?" Pilgrim said, "They must have slipped into the cave. Let me go and look."

Great Sage, urgently opening his fiery eyes and diamond pupils, scanned the entire mountain but saw no movement. He only saw before a steep cliff, an exquisitely carved, colorful archway with three eaves and four clusters, decorated with fine patterns. He and Bajie and Sha Monk approached to look, and on it were six large characters: "Pitfall Mountain, Bottomless Cave." Pilgrim said, "Brothers, this demon has set up her scaffold here, but we don't even know where the door opens." Sha Monk said, "It's not far, not far. Let's search carefully." As they all turned to look, beneath the archway, at the foot of the mountain, there was a large stone about ten li in circumference, with a hole in the middle as big as a jar's mouth, worn smooth and shiny. Bajie said, "Brother, this is the cave where the demons come and go." Pilgrim looked and said, "Strange! Since I've been protecting the Tang Monk, I won't hide it from you two—I've captured quite a few demons, but I've never seen a cave like this. Bajie, go down first and test it out, see how deep it is, so I can go in and rescue Master." Bajie shook his head and said, "That's hard, that's hard. This old pig is clumsy. If I lose my footing and fall, who knows if I'll reach the bottom in two or three years?" Pilgrim said, "Is it that deep?" Bajie said, "Look for yourself." The Great Sage lay by the edge of the hole and peered down carefully. Ah! It was deep! It was fully over three hundred li in circumference. He turned back and said, "Brothers, it's indeed extremely deep." Bajie said, "Then you go back. Master can't be saved." Pilgrim said, "What are you saying? Don't be lazy or give up hope. For now, put down the luggage and tie the horse to the archway pillar. You use your rake, and Sha Monk uses his staff, to block the cave entrance. Let me go in and investigate. If Master is indeed inside, I'll use my iron rod to drive the demon out to the entrance. Then you two block the way outside. This will be a coordinated attack from inside and out. Only by killing the spirit can we rescue Master." The two obeyed.

Pilgrim then leaped up and jumped into the cave. Beneath his feet, ten thousand beams of colored clouds arose; around him, a thousand layers of auspicious vapors protected him. Before long, he reached the deep interior. There, it was bright and clear, with daylight, wind, and flowers, grass, and fruit trees. Pilgrim rejoiced, saying, "What a fine place! When this old Monkey was born, Heaven granted me the Water Curtain Cave, and this place is also a blessed cave heaven." As he looked around, he saw another gatehouse with double dripping eaves, surrounded by pines and bamboos, with many houses inside. He thought again, "This must be the demon's dwelling. I'll go inside and investigate. But wait. If I go like this, she'll recognize me. I'll change my form." He shook himself, made a spell, and turned into a fly. Gently, he flew onto the gatehouse and listened. He saw the demon seated high in a thatched pavilion. Her appearance was different from when she was rescued in the pine forest or captured at the temple; she was even more beautifully dressed:

Her hair coiled like a dark cloud in a crow-like pile,

She wore a green velvet jacket with floral trim.

Her pair of golden lotuses just half a span,

Her ten fingers like tender bamboo shoots in spring.

Her round, powdered face like a silver basin,

Her red lips smooth as a cherry.

A perfectly upright, beautiful form,

Even the moon's Chang'e would be pleased.

Today, having captured the scripture-seeking monk,

She wanted to enjoy pleasure on the same pillow and mat.

Wukong remained silent for a moment, listening to what she would say. After a while, she parted her cherry-red lips and called out joyfully, "Little ones, quickly prepare a vegetarian feast. I want to eat with Brother Tang Sanzang and then marry him." Wukong laughed to himself, "Is that really true? I thought Pig was just joking around. Let me fly in first and look around to see where the master is. I wonder what his state of mind is? If she stirs his emotions, staying here might not be so bad." With that, he spread his wings and flew inside. There, under the east corridor, amid the alternating light and shade of red paper lattice windows, sat Tang Sanzang.

Wukong crashed through the lattice window, flew onto Tang Sanzang’s bald head, and bit him, calling out, "Master." Tripitaka recognized the voice and cried, "Disciple, save my life!" Wukong said, "Master, you’re not doing well. That demon has prepared a feast and wants to eat with you and marry you. If you have a son or daughter, they’d be your monk’s offspring—what are you worried about?" The elder ground his teeth and said, "Disciple, ever since I left Chang’an and took you in at the Two-Border Mountain, traveling westward all this time, when have I ever touched meat or indulged in improper thoughts? Now that I’m captured by this demon and forced into marriage, if I lose my true yang essence, I’ll fall into the cycle of rebirth, be beaten to the back of the Mountain of Darkness, and never be reborn." Wukong laughed and said, "Stop swearing oaths. Since you truly intend to go to the Western Paradise to fetch the scriptures, Old Monkey will take you out." Tripitaka said, "I’ve completely forgotten the way in." Wukong said, "Don’t mention your forgetting. This cave of his isn’t like walking in and out; it’s drilled downward from above. Now, to save you, we have to drill upward from below. If we’re lucky enough to reach the entrance, we’ll get out; if we’re unlucky and can’t find it, we might suffocate." Tripitaka, tears streaming from his eyes, said, "If it’s this difficult, what can be done?" Wukong said, "It’s fine, it’s fine. That demon is preparing wine for you to drink. If you have no choice, drink a cup with her. But drink it quickly, so that it foams up, and I’ll turn into a tiny cicada and fly under the bubbles. When she swallows me into her stomach, I’ll tear through her heart and liver, rip apart her intestines, and kill the demon. Only then can you escape." Tripitaka said, "Disciple, speaking this way, it’s just too inhumane." Wukong said, "If you only practice kindness, your life will be lost. The demon is the root of harm—why pity her?" Tripitaka said, "Alright, alright. Just follow me closely." Truly:

The Great Sage Sun guarded Tripitaka Tang,

The scripture-seeking monk relied entirely on the Handsome Monkey King.

Before the master and disciple had finished their discussion, the demon had already prepared everything. She approached the outside of the east corridor, unlocked the door, and called out, "Elder." Tang Sanzang dared not reply. She called again, and still he dared not reply. Why didn’t he dare reply? He thought, "Opening the mouth scatters the spirit; moving the tongue gives rise to trouble." Yet he also thought, "If I stubbornly keep silent, I fear she might be ruthless and kill me in an instant." Caught in a dilemma, he weighed his heart against his mouth, and after three thoughts, his endurance weighed his mouth against his heart. Just as he was hesitating, the demon called out again, "Elder." Tang Sanzang, with no other choice, replied, "Madam, I am here." When the elder uttered this response, it felt as if a thousand pounds of flesh had fallen off. People all say Tang Sanzang was a sincere monk, journeying westward to worship Buddha and seek scriptures—how could he answer this female demon? Little did they know that this was a moment of life and death, a time of utter helplessness. Though he replied outwardly, his heart harbored no desire. When the demon saw the elder respond, she pushed open the door, helped Tang Sanzang up, and, holding his hand and leaning close, they whispered together. Look at her—she displayed a thousand kinds of coquettish charms and ten thousand forms of amorous allure. Little did she know that Tripitaka was filled with distress. Wukong laughed to himself, "My master, deceived by her like this, might momentarily lose his composure." Truly:

The true monk, tormented by demons, met a charming girl;

The demon’s graceful form was truly worthy of praise.

Her faint green brows parted like willow leaves,

Her full red cheeks set off peach blossoms.

Embroidered shoes slightly revealed twin hooked phoenixes,

Her cloud-like hairpins high coiled, raven locks at her temples.

Smiling, she took the master’s hand,

Fragrance of orchid and musk filled his cassock.

The demon, holding Tripitaka’s hand, approached the thatched pavilion and said, "Elder, I’ve prepared a cup of wine. Let’s drink a couple together." Tang Sanzang said, "Madam, I, this poor monk, have never eaten meat." The demon said, "I know you don’t eat meat. Because the water in the cave is unclean, I specially ordered someone to fetch pure water from the mountain peak, where yin and yang intermingle, and prepared a vegetarian feast of fruits and vegetables for us to enjoy." Tang Sanzang followed her inside and saw:

At the gate, silk embroidered and colored knots;

In the courtyard, incense wafted from golden censers.

Arranged were black-lacquered inlaid tables,

And dark-lacquered bamboo-woven trays.

On the inlaid tables, rare delicacies;

In the bamboo-woven trays, vegetarian rarities.

Crab apples, olives, lotus seeds, grapes,

Torreya nuts, crab apples, hazelnuts, pine nuts,

Lychees, longans, mountain chestnuts, water caltrops,

Dates, persimmons, walnuts, ginkgo nuts,

Kumquats, fragrant oranges—fruits abundant on the mountain;

Vegetables were seasonal and fresh:

Tofu, gluten, wood ear, fresh bamboo shoots,

Mushrooms, shiitake, Chinese yam, yellow essence.

Stone flower seaweed, day lily, fried in clear oil;

Flat beans, cowpeas, seasoned with thick sauce.

Cucumbers, bottle gourds, ginkgo nuts, turnips.

Peeled eggplant made like quail,

Scooped-out winter melon shaped like a square.

Softly stewed taro mixed with sugar,

Plain-boiled white radish dressed with vinegar.

Pepper and ginger, pungent and spicy, each dish fine,

Salty and mild balanced, every flavor smooth.

The demon revealed her slender jade fingers, held a glittering golden cup, filled it to the brim with fine wine, and handed it to Tang Sanzang, saying, "Elder brother, my dear, please drink a cup of nuptial wine." Tripitaka, blushing, took the wine, poured it out as an offering to the sky, and silently prayed: "Dharma-protecting devas, Directional Guardians of the Five Regions, the Four Duty Gods: I, disciple Chen Xuanzang, since leaving the Eastern Land, have been entrusted by Guan Yin Bodhisattva to have you, the various gods, secretly protect me as I worship at Thunderclap Monastery, see the Buddha, and seek the scriptures. Now, on the road, I’ve been captured by this demon and forced into marriage. She has handed me this cup of wine. If this wine is vegetarian, I, the disciple, will force myself to drink it and may still succeed in seeing the Buddha; if it’s meat wine, breaking my precepts, I will forever fall into the cycle of suffering." The Great Sage Sun, having transformed himself into something tiny, hid behind his master’s ear, like an ear informant; he spoke so that only Tripitaka could hear, and no one else did. Knowing that his master usually liked vegetarian wine made from grapes, he urged him to drink a cup. The master had no choice but to drink, and then quickly refilled the cup and returned it to the demon. Indeed, the foam rose up. Wukong turned into a tiny cicada and gently flew under the foam. The demon took the cup in her hand but didn’t drink. She set it down, bowed twice with Tang Sanzang, and, in a delicate, timid voice, exchanged a few words of love. Then she raised the cup—the foam had already dissipated, revealing the insect. The demon didn’t recognize it as Wukong’s transformation and, thinking it was just a bug, flicked it away with her little finger.

Seeing that things had gone awry and realizing it would be difficult to enter her stomach, Wukong turned into a hungry vulture. Truly:

Jade claws, golden eyes, iron wings,

A fierce bearing, charging through the clouds.

Foxes and cunning hares fled in haste,

Through a thousand miles of mountains and rivers, it vanished.

Hungry, it chased birds against the wind;

Sated, it soared high against the Heavenly Gate.

Its iron talons, hard and sharp, harmed most,

Proud of its height, it scorned the near.

It flew up, spread its jade claws, and with a loud crash, overturned the table, shattering all the vegetarian fruits, dishes, cups, and jars. Leaving Tang Sanzang behind, it flew off. This terrified the demon’s heart and soul, and Tang Sanzang’s bones and flesh turned to jelly. Trembling, the demon embraced Tang Sanzang and said, "Elder brother, where did this creature come from?" Tang Sanzang said, "I, this poor monk, do not know." The demon said, "I went to so much trouble to arrange this vegetarian feast for you to enjoy, yet I don’t know where this feathered beast flew in from, smashing all my utensils." The little demons said, "Madam, smashing the utensils is one thing, but all those vegetarian items have been spilled on the ground, soiled and unusable." Tang Sanzang knew full well that Wukong had caused this, but he dared not say a word. The demon said, "Little ones, I understand now. It must be that heaven and earth cannot tolerate my imprisoning Tang Sanzang, so they sent this creature. Pick up the broken utensils and prepare another feast, regardless of whether it’s meat or vegetarian. I’ll take heaven as my matchmaker and earth as my witness, and then I’ll marry Tang Sanzang." She then led the elder back to sit in the east corridor, leaving the matter aside.

Goku flew out, revealed his true form, and reached the cave entrance, calling out, "Open the door!" Piggy laughed and said, "Sandy, big brother is here." The two of them put down their weapons. Goku jumped out, and Piggy stepped forward to grab him, asking, "Is there a demon? Is there Master?" Goku said, "Yes, yes, yes." Piggy asked, "Is Master suffering inside? Is he tied up or bound? Will he be steamed or boiled?" Goku said, "That's not the case at all—they're just preparing a vegetarian feast to force him into that matter." Piggy said, "You're lucky, you're lucky—did you drink the betrothal wine?" Goku said, "You idiot, Master's life is in danger—what betrothal wine would I drink?" Piggy said, "Then why did you come back?" Goku recounted the whole affair of using his transformations to see Tang Sanzang. Then he said, "Brothers, don't let your minds wander anymore. Master is here. This time, I'm going to rescue him."

He turned around and went back inside, again transforming into a fly and perching on the gate to listen. He heard the demon, breathing heavily, giving orders from the pavilion: "Little ones, bring paper money, whether meat or vegetarian. Borrow heaven and earth as matchmakers, and we must complete the wedding." Goku heard this and chuckled to himself, "This demon has no shame at all—in broad daylight, she's locked a monk in her home and is manipulating him. But don't rush—let me go in for another look." With a buzz, he flew to the eastern corridor, where he saw the master sitting inside, tears streaming down his cheeks. Goku flew in, landed on his head, and called out, "Master." The elder recognized the voice, jumped up, and ground his teeth in anger, saying, "You monkey! Other people's courage is still body wrapped in courage; your courage is courage wrapped in body. You used your transformations and divine powers to break the furniture—what's that worth? You've stirred up the demon's lust, and now she's set on meat or vegetarian arrangements, insisting on consummating with me. How will this end?" Goku whispered back with a smile, "Master, don't be angry—I have a way to save you." Tang Sanzang asked, "How can you save me?" Goku said, "When I flew up just now, I saw a garden behind here. Trick her into going to the garden to play, and I'll rescue you." Tang Sanzang asked, "How will the garden save me?" Goku said, "When you go to the garden with her, walk to the peach tree and stop. I'll fly onto a peach branch and turn into a red peach. If you want to eat fruit, pick a red one first. The red one is me. She will certainly want to pick one too—make sure you give her the red one. If she eats it in one bite, I'll be in her belly. Then I'll tear apart her skin bag, rip out her guts, kill her, and you can escape." Sanzang said, "If you have the power, just fight her directly—why go into her belly?" Goku said, "Master, you don't understand. This cave is hard to get in and out of, with winding paths that are difficult to navigate. If we start a fight, all these demons, old and young, will grab hold of me too—how could that work? We need to do it this way, and then everyone will be clean." Sanzang nodded in agreement, only saying, "Stay close to me." Goku said, "I know, I know—I'm on your head."

Having settled the plan, Sanzang sat up, supporting himself on the lattice, and called out, "My lady, my lady." The demon heard him and ran over with a smile, saying, "Dear man, what do you have to say?" Sanzang said, "My lady, since leaving Chang'an and traveling west, every day has been mountain after mountain, river after river. Yesterday, I stayed at the Temple of the Sea-Calming and caught a severe cold. Today I've sweated it out and feel a bit better. Thanks to your kindness, you brought me to this immortal abode. But after sitting here all day, I feel restless. Could you take me somewhere to relax and have some fun?" The demon was delighted and said, "Dear man, you have some spirit—let's go to the garden and play." She ordered, "Little ones, bring the keys and open the garden gate. Sweep the paths." All the demons ran off to open the gate and tidy up.

The demon opened the lattice and helped Sanzang out. Look at him—surrounded by all those little demons, all with oily hair and powdered faces, graceful and charming, crowding around and heading straight for the garden. What a monk! Amidst this silk and satin crowd, he remained unmoved, playing deaf and dumb. If not for his iron heart set on Buddha, no second ordinary man of wine and lust could have fetched the scriptures. They all arrived outside the garden, and the demon spoke softly, "Dear man, playing here can truly relax your mind and lift your spirits." Sanzang walked hand in hand with her into the garden. Looking up, he saw it was truly a fine place. Behold:

Twisting paths, all covered with moss; elegant latticed windows, everywhere veiled in silk curtains. A light breeze stirred, gently unfurling Shu brocade and Wu silk; light rain had just stopped, revealing delicate ice-skin and jade-like flesh. The sun scorched the fresh apricots, red as a fairy drying her rainbow robe; the moon shone on the plantains, green as the Great Truth shaking her feathered fan. Pink walls on four sides—ten thousand willows with orioles chirping; around the idle pavilions, the whole courtyard was filled with begonias and fluttering butterflies. Gaze also at the Fragrance-Gathering Pavilion, the Black-Browed Pavilion, the Wine-Sobering Pavilion, the Longing Pavilion, layer upon layer reflected, with red curtains hooked by tassels. And see the Sour-Nurturing Pavilion, the White-Draping Pavilion, the Eyebrow-Painting Pavilion, the Four-Rain Pavilion, each one towering, with ornate plaques carved in bird script. Look at the Crane-Bathing Pool, the Wine-Clearing Pool, the Moon-Admiring Pool, the Tassel-Cleaning Pool, green duckweed and emerald algae shimmering with golden scales; and also the Ink-Flower Studio, the Strange-Chest Studio, the Pleasure-Seeking Studio, the Cloud-Admiring Studio, jade dippers and agate cups floating with green lees. Above and below the pools and pavilions were Taihu stones, Purple-Eagle stones, Parrot-Landing stones, Brocade-River stones, lush with tiger-whisker rushes; east and west of the studios were Wooden-Fake mountains, Emerald-Screen mountains, Wind-Howling mountains, Jade-Zhi mountains, everywhere thick with phoenix-tail bamboo. Trellises of roses and jasmine, near the swing frame, like brocade curtains and silk canopies; arbors of pine and cypress, and magnolia, facing the clove arbor, like a jade city and embroidered screens. Peony beds, peony clumps, red and purple vying in splendor; night-blooming jasmine terraces, jasmine hedges, year after year growing in charm. Dripping dew on purple smiles, worthy of painting and sketching; blazing red hibiscus in the sky, fit for poetic inscription. In scenery, don't boast of Langyuan or Penglai; in fragrance, don't count the Yao yellow or Wei purple. If in spring they played at grass-gathering, the garden only lacked the jade Qiong flower.

The elder, holding the demon's hand, strolled through the garden, taking in endless exotic flowers and rare plants. They passed many pavilions and studios, truly entering a realm of increasing beauty. Suddenly looking up, they reached the peach grove. Goku pinched the master's head, and the elder understood. Goku flew onto a peach branch, shook his body, and transformed into a red peach, truly lovely in its redness. The elder said to the demon, "My lady, in your garden the flowers are fragrant, and the fruit on the branches is ripe. In the garden, bees compete to gather from fragrant flowers; on the branches, birds vie to snatch ripe fruit. Why are the peaches on this tree a mix of green and red?" The demon laughed and said, "Heaven without yin and yang—the sun and moon don't shine; earth without yin and yang—grass and trees don't grow; humans without yin and yang—there's no distinction between male and female. On this peach tree, the fruit on the sunny side, warmed by the sun, ripens first and turns red; the fruit on the shady side, without sun, is still raw and stays green: this is the principle of yin and yang." Sanzang said, "Thank you for your instruction, my lady—truly, I, a humble monk, did not know." He then stepped forward and picked a red peach. The demon also picked a green peach. Sanzang bowed and offered the red peach to the demon, saying, "My lady, you love beauty—please eat this red peach, and give me the green one to eat." The demon indeed exchanged them, secretly pleased, thinking, "What a good monk—truly a real man. Though we haven't yet been husband and wife for a day, he already shows such affection." The demon happily treated Sanzang with respect. Sanzang took the green peach and began to eat. The demon joyfully accompanied him, opening her mouth to bite into the red peach. She parted her crimson lips, revealing her silver teeth, but before she could take a bite, Sun Wukong, being very impatient, somersaulted straight down her throat and into her belly. The demon was frightened and said to Sanzang, "Elder, this fruit is dangerous! How could it roll down without being bitten through?" Sanzang said, "My lady, fruit from a newly opened garden is delightful to eat, so it went down quickly." The demon said, "It didn't even spit out the pit before it slipped down." Sanzang said, "Your heart is good and your feelings warm—you were so eager to eat that you didn't have time to spit out the pit before it went down."

Sun Wukong, having resumed his true form inside her belly, shouted, “Master, don’t argue with her. Old Sun has already succeeded.” Tang Sanzang said, “Disciple, be careful.” The demoness heard this and asked, “Who are you talking to?” Tang Sanzang replied, “I’m talking to my disciple Sun Wukong.” The demoness asked, “Where is Sun Wukong?” Tang Sanzang said, “He’s inside your belly. Wasn’t that red peach you just ate him?” The demoness panicked, “It’s over, it’s over. This monkey has gotten into my belly, and I’m doomed. Sun Xingzhe, why have you gone to such lengths to worm your way into my belly?” Sun Wukong, furious from within, said, “I’m not here for anything special—just to eat your six-leafed liver and lungs, your three-hair seven-hole heart, and clean out your five viscera, turning you into a wooden-fish demon.” Hearing this, the demoness was terrified out of her wits. Trembling, she grabbed hold of Tang Sanzang and said, “Elder, I only thought:

‘Past lives’ marriage ties, red threads bind,

Fish and water’s joy, deep and kind.

But now the mandarin ducks are torn apart,

The phoenixes go east and west, each with a broken heart.

The Blue Bridge’s waters rise—our union fails,

The temple’s incense fades—our grand meeting pales.

A heartfelt plan, now parted anew,

When will I ever meet again with you?’”

Sun Wukong, hearing this from inside her belly, feared the elder might soften his heart and be tricked again, so he punched and kicked, striking a four-square horse stance, nearly smashing her hide. The demoness could not bear the pain and collapsed in the dust, unable to speak for a long time. When Sun Wukong saw she was silent, he thought she was dead and loosened his grip slightly. She regained her breath and called out, “Where are my little ones?” Those junior demons, ever since entering the garden gate, had been tactful, not gathering together; each went off to pick flowers and play with grass, letting the demoness and Tang Sanzang enjoy their private talk. Hearing her call, they all rushed over. Seeing the demoness fallen on the ground, her face changed, moaning and unable to get up, they quickly helped her up and gathered around, saying, “Madam, what’s wrong? Could it be a sudden heart pain?” The demoness said, “No, no. Don’t ask. There’s already someone inside my belly. Hurry and send this monk away, and spare my life.” Those junior demons really started to lift him. Sun Wukong shouted from inside her belly, “Who dares to lift him? If you want to save your life, carry my master out yourself. Once we’re outside, I’ll spare you.” The demoness, with no other choice, cherished her own life. She struggled to her feet, put Tang Sanzang on her back, and strode outside. The junior demons followed, asking, “Old Madam, where are you going?” The demoness said, “‘Keep the bright moon over the five lakes, and worry not about finding a place to cast the golden hook.’ I’ll send this wretch out and look for another leader later.”

The fine demoness, mounting a cloud of light, went straight to the cave entrance. There she heard the clanging and clashing of weapons. Tang Sanzang said, “Disciple, I hear weapons clashing outside.” Sun Wukong said, “It’s Bajie wielding his rake. Call out to him.” Tang Sanzang then called, “Bajie.” Bajie heard and said, “Sha Monk, the master is out.” The two drew back their rake and staff, and the demoness carried Tang Sanzang out. Alas! Truly:

The Mind-Ape, from within, subdues the evil sprite,

The Earth Spirit guards the gate, greeting the holy monk.

Whether the demoness lives or dies remains to be seen; listen to the next chapter for the resolution.