As soon as the king saw the Monkey King’s influence over the winds and rain, he wasted no time stamping the imperial seal onto the travel permit.
But just as he was about to hand it to Tang Monk so he could continue his journey in peace, the three Taoists stepped forward, fell to the ground in deep bow, and kowtowed. The king quickly rose from his throne and ran to lift them up with his own hands, asking:
“Why this ceremony?”
They replied:
“For the past twenty years we have done nothing but safeguard the peace of your kingdom and the safety of all your subjects. Today, however, our noble service has been overshadowed by the crude magic of an unscrupulous monk. Just because he managed to summon a storm, you have forgotten the crimes he committed within your own kingdom. How can you treat him with such favor and disregard all the sacrifices we have made for you? We would like you to hold back his travel permit a little longer and allow us to test our powers against his once again—to see what really happens.”
The Meditation Contest
So the king set the travel permit aside and asked:
“What kind of test do you have in mind?”
Tiger Strength Immortal replied:
“To begin with, one of Meditation.”
Turning to the pilgrims, the king said:
“Hey there, monks! Our respected national master suggests holding a meditation contest known as ‘Holiness Beside the Cloud Pillar(Cloud-Pillar Sanctity Meditation).’ Is any of you willing to take on this challenge?”
Tang Monk clasped his hands at chest level and replied:
“This humble monk knows how to meditate in the manner you have described.”
The king immediately ordered that altars be prepared. The swiftness with which his commands were carried out demonstrated clearly the might of a nation capable of moving mountains.
Within half an hour, two altars had been built: one to the left of the Hall of Golden Chimes, and the other to its right.
With solemn steps, the Tiger Strength Great Immortal strode into the center of the vast courtyard. There he leapt, and instantly a carpet of clouds formed beneath his feet, lifting him to the top of the altar erected on the western side, where he sat cross-legged.
Meanwhile, the Monkey King plucked a single hair and transformed it into an exact copy of himself, which took his former place. His true self turned into a five-colored cloud, gently lifting Tang Monk into the air and setting him softly atop the eastern altar.
Demon’s trick
When the two contestants seemed equally focused, Deer Strength Great Immortal decided to assist his fellow Taoist. Without anyone noticing, he pulled out a hair from the back of his neck, rolled it between his fingers, and threw it toward Tang Monk’s head. The hair transformed into a lice, which began biting the master fiercely. At first, the teacher only felt a slight itch, but as the seconds passed, it grew into unbearable pain. Unfortunately, one of the rules of the meditation contest stated that whoever moved their hands—even just to scratch—would be automatically disqualified. The discomfort became so unbearable that the master had no choice but to gently rub his head against the collar of his robe.
Wukong’s Counterstrike
The Monkey King took flight again and landed on top of Tang Monk’s head, where he discovered a pea-sized lice feasting on him. Quickly grabbing it with his hand, the Monkey King gently scratched the master until the irritation completely disappeared. In this way, the master was able to continue meditating without moving a single finger.
Then, the Monkey King took off once more, gave his body a slight shake, and transformed into a centipede over seven inches long. He dropped down and landed exactly under the Taoist’s nose, delivering such a painful bite that the Taoist tumbled off the altar.
Fortunately, imperial officials rushed forward to catch him; otherwise, he would have died on the spot. Frightened, the king asked his advisors to accompany him to the Wen Hua Hall. At that moment, Sun Wukong transformed into a cloud again and helped Tang Monk descend from the altar, thus being declared the winner of the contest.
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