The king asked the disguised Tang Monk, puzzled:
“Why did you have such a fair face this morning, yet now appear entirely different?”
Wukong’s Revelation
The Monkey King replied with a smile:
“To tell the truth, Your Majesty, the one who first came to see you was my Master, the honorable Tripitaka, younger brother of the Great Emperor of the Tang. I am merely his disciple, Sun Wukong. Traveling with us are two other brothers, Zhu Wuneng and Sha Wujing, who are currently at the Reception Pavilion. We learned that the monster had deceived you into trying to take my Master’s heart, so I decided to disguise myself as him and come here to confront that beast.”
Summoning the Companions
Upon hearing this, the king turned to his chief minister, the Grand Imperial Secretary, and ordered him to go immediately to the pavilion in search of the real master and the other disciples he had yet to meet.
The Monkey King then asked:
“Do you know where that monster came from, Your Majesty? I would like to go capture him to end his evil.”
The king replied:
“Three years ago, when he first arrived, I asked him the same question, and he told me he lived not far from here—specifically in the Village of Perfect Bloom (Perfect Blossom Village), located on Willow Slope (Sloping Willow Hill), about one hundred and fifty kilometers south of this city.”
Journey to Sloping Willow Hill
Wukong then turned to Bajie and commanded:
“Come with me quickly.”
Bajie protested:
“How can I go on an empty stomach? You know I’m useless without eating first.”
The king summoned the official in charge of imperial celebrations and ordered him to prepare a vegetarian feast.
As soon as he was satisfied, Bajie rose into the air and disappeared in haste, riding the same cloud as the Monkey King.
At the sight of them, the king, the queen, the concubines, and all the civil and military officials fell to the ground in awe, repeatedly bowing their foreheads to the earth and exclaiming:
“Truly, immortals and buddhas have descended upon the earth!”
Wukong led Bajie to a place about one hundred and fifty kilometers south of the city, where they immediately began searching for the monster’s dwelling. There was no sign of the Perfect Bloom Village.
The Hidden Cave
With no choice left, Wukong made a magical hand gesture and recited a mantra beginning with “Om.” Immediately, the local spirit appeared.
Trembling from head to toe, the spirit knelt down and said:
“Your Great Sage, the deity of Willow Slope pays you his respects.”
Reassuring him, the Monkey King said:
“Don’t be afraid. I summoned you not to punish you, but to ask where the Perfect Bloom Village is located.”
The land god corrected him:
“What exists here isn’t a village, but the Perfect Bloom Cave. That tells me you must be coming directly from the Kingdom of Bhiksu.”
The Monkey King admitted:
“That’s correct. The ruler there had been deceived by a monster. According to what I learned, three years ago, when the monster offered the king a beautiful girl as a token of submission, he claimed to come from the Perfect Bloom Village on Willow Slope. Since I didn’t doubt it could be this place, especially judging by the willows, I decided to summon you and ask where that cursed village lies.”
The deity replied:
“You must first locate a nine-branched willow tree south of the stream. Walk around the trunk first three times clockwise, then three times counterclockwise, after that place both hands firmly against the trunk, and shout three times in succession: ‘Open the gate!’ Then the Cave of Perfect Bloom will appear.”
Entering the Lair
Wukong then dismissed the land god. Jumping over the stream, he began searching together with Bajie for the willow tree just described. It wasn’t long before they found it. Although its trunk was perfectly straight, it had exactly nine branches.
Following the deity’s instructions, a massive gate creaked open, revealing a cavern inscribed: Abode of the Perfect Blossom Immortal.
The willow tree was gone. Inside the cave, a bright light shone as strongly as outside, but there was no sign of any human presence.
Unable to contain his excitement, the Monkey King leaped over the stone barrier. Inside, the monster and a beautiful girl lamented their ruined scheme.
“What an extraordinary opportunity we’ve missed! Three years of planning, and today, just as we were about to complete our mission, that cursed monkey shows up and ruins everything.”
Shouting furiously, the Monkey King charged at them with his iron staff in hand:
“Cursed fiends! Stop your moaning and prepare yourselves to taste my staff!”
When he saw the Monkey King arrive, Bajie raised his rake and joined the fight head-on.
The monster lost whatever confidence he had left and fled in terror.
The South Pole Star Elder
As they were about to catch up with the beast, they heard the cries of a phoenix and a crane, and at the same time, a blinding light descended upon them. Soon, they saw the Old Star of the Southern Pole approaching.
He shouted:
“Great Sage and Marshal of the Heavenly Marshes! Please accept this old Taoist’s humble greetings.”
After returning his courtesy, the Monkey King asked:
“Where are you coming from?”
Bajie grinned slyly and said:
“Old scoundrel! Judging by that beam of light in your hand, you’ve just captured that monster, haven’t you?”
The Star acknowledged with a smile:
“That’s indeed true. I only hope you will show mercy and spare his life.”
The Monkey King replied:
“You know him?”
Still smiling, the Star responded:
“It so happens that he is my mount. I regret to admit that he escaped and eventually became a monster.”
Then the Star shouted:
“Cursed beast, reveal your true form, and I shall lift the punishment I had intended for your misdeed!”
The monster twisted strangely and transformed into a white-furred deer.
The Star mounted the deer and prepared to leave, but the Monkey King stopped him, saying:
“Please don’t go yet. There are still two matters we have not resolved. We won’t take long.”
Unmasking the Beauty
Signaling to Bajie with a wave of his hand, they returned to the cave and shouted loudly:
“We must capture the monster! Don’t let her escape!”
The beautiful girl didn’t even have a weapon. All she could do was dodge the attack and transform into a beam of light. The Monkey King blocked her escape, promptly raising his iron rod. After crashing against it, the beauty fell to the ground and transformed into what she truly was: a white-faced fox.
The Monkey King proceeded toward the royal palace, accompanied by the Star, the deer, and Bajie, who dragged the fox along behind him.
Presenting her to the king with visible disdain, the Monkey King said:
“Here is your Beauty Queen. Are you willing to abandon your duties for her sake?”
The king trembled with fear. The queen and concubines dared not lift their heads.
Gratitude and Celebration
The king ordered the official in charge of imperial banquets to prepare a vegetarian feast in the Eastern Hall of the palace, to express his gratitude to the Southern Pole Star, Tang Monk, and his three disciples for all they had done for the kingdom.
When the banquet concluded, the Star rose, ready to return to his palace at once. The king threw himself at the Star’s feet and begged him to prescribe some remedy for his illness.
The Star smiled and replied:
“I’m afraid I was too preoccupied searching for my deer and brought no elixirs with me. However, inside my sleeve I do have three mystical dates just given to me by the Supreme Lord of the East, to be taken with tea. I would gladly give them to you. Nothing would please me more than knowing they helped you recover.”
As soon as he swallowed them, the king felt as if a terrible weight were gradually lifting from his body. His illness vanished entirely, and he felt as though he had become a young man again.
Before the pilgrims reached the city gates, a violent wind arose, gently setting down along the street the 1,111 children who had disappeared the previous night. The local deities—the god of the kingdom, the god of the city, the earth god, the immortals, the Guardians of the Five Cardinal Directions, the Four Sentinels, the Six Gods of Light, the Six Gods of Darkness, and the Protectors of Monasteries—who had been guarding the children all this time—approached respectfully to where the Monkey King stood.
The king, the concubines, and all the citizens immediately prostrated themselves on the ground.
Sun Wukong then asked the children’s parents to come forward and take custody of their sons and daughters.
Joy reached such heights that everyone began shouting:
“Let us bring Tang Monk and his disciples into our homes and thank them for all they’ve done for us!”
Like one man, they rushed toward the pilgrims, disregarding the repulsive ugliness of their faces, lifted them onto their shoulders, and carried them joyfully into their homes.
Not even the king could prevent Zhu Bajie from being hoisted onto people’s backs, Sha Wujing being carried on shoulders, Sun Wukong being borne triumphantly above people’s heads, and Tripitaka being escorted triumphantly to the heart of the city.
While one family hosted a banquet, another prepared a celebration, and those who realized they couldn’t possibly provide enough food started making sandals, caps, robes, and all kinds of clothing. For more than a month, the pilgrims were obliged to remain in that capital.
When the time finally came for departure, every household possessed portraits of the monks bearing their names, before which continuous sacrifices and incense sticks were offered.
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