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Sun Wukong and the star lords quickly mounted their clouds and soared high into the sky. The monster gathered all the golden fragments and, at the same time, ordered his troops to form up on the open ground beside the monastery gate.
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Wukong remained trapped inside the golden cymbals. The darkness was absolute, and the heat became so suffocating that sweat soon covered his entire body.
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Having escaped the perils of thorns and entangled tree spirits, the pilgrims continued westward. Soon winter came to an end, and spring returned, spreading its presence everywhere. The master and his disciples preferred the languid fragrance of flowers and the soft comfort of meadows.
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After snatching the Tang Monk, the old man headed toward a stone house completely shrouded in mist.
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In gratitude for vanquishing the monsters and recovering the Buddha’s relics, the king of the Kingdom of Sacrifice wished to present Tripitaka and his companions with a great amount of gold and jade, which they politely declined.
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In the last battle, the Dragon King had been deceived and killed. But Wukong and Bajie did not think it wise to chase after the remnants. Wukong suggested repeating the same tactic once more, but Bajie doubted that the enemy would fall into the same trap again.
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Seeing how easily Bajie had fallen into the monster’s clutches, the Monkey King couldn’t help but think: “That beast is truly extraordinary. I should inform the Master of everything that has happened, but I’m afraid the king would only mock me. It’s better if I confront that monster again. Unfortunately, I have no helper…
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Early the next morning, Tang Monk and his two disciples brought the captured spirits before the king.
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Tripitaka said: “When I left Chang’an, I vowed in the Hall of the Dharma Gates that I would not pass by a temple without burning incense, nor a monastery without paying homage to Buddha, nor a pagoda without sweeping its courtyard or stairs.”