After leaving the borders of the Eastern Ocean and traveling nonstop for a day and a night, Sha Wujing finally caught sight of Potalaka Mountain.
Driven by curiosity, he halted the cloud he was riding on and looked around. He had never seen a place so extraordinary as this one.
Sha Wujing landed his cloud on Potalaka Mountain. Immediately, the disciple Moksa came out to meet him and asked:
“Why aren’t you accompanying Tang Monk? Tell me, what brings you here?”
After returning the greeting with a respectful bow, Sha Wujing replied:
“I must speak urgently with Bodhisattva Guanyin. I would appreciate it if you could lead me to her presence as soon as possible.”
Guanyin’s Mediation
Moksa knew it must be something related to the Monkey King, but said nothing. He immediately went inside the cave to inform the Bodhisattva.
Guanyin ordered Moksa to bring Wujing in. The monk threw himself face-down to the ground, repeatedly kowtowing. When he raised his head to recount everything that had happened to the Bodhisattva, he suddenly saw Wukong sitting quietly to one side. Enraged, he swung his monster-slaying staff and delivered a powerful blow to Wukong’s face. Wukong dodged it calmly, but did not respond to the provocation.
“Cease violence in my presence!” ordered Guanyin. “State your grievance calmly.”
Then, Sha Wujing recounted the impostor’s theft and cloned pilgrims.
The Bodhisattva advised him:
“Be careful not to accuse the innocent, Wujing. In fact, Wukong has been beside me for four days straight and has not left the spot where you see him now.”
“But I saw Sun Wukong at the Water Curtain Cave! Do you think I’m lying?” insisted Sha Wujing.
Replied the Bodhisattva:
“Don’t keep turning this over in your mind. I will ask Wukong to go with you to the Flower and Fruit Mountain so we can find out exactly what is going on.”
Clash of the Monkey Kings
After bidding farewell to the Bodhisattva, Wukong and Sha Wujing mounted two beams of light and quickly departed from the Southern Seas.
They soon spotted the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits. They immediately descended from their clouds and looked around. Right in front of the cave entrance, they saw another Sun Wukong seated on a stone platform, drinking carelessly among a real swarm of monkeys.
The true Monkey King leapt forward, gripping his iron rod tightly while shouting furiously:
“What kind of monster are you to dare impersonate me, imprison my subjects, and seize my cave!”
When the other saw him, he didn’t say a word. He grabbed his own iron staff and charged forward to meet him in battle.
Sha Wujing’s Dilemma
The fight began right at the entrance of the cave, but soon continued into the air. Sha Wujing dared not intervene, as it was extremely difficult for him to tell one from the other. He was eager to offer all the help he could, yet he feared mistakenly attacking the real Wukong. For a long time, he stood paralyzed by uncertainty.
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