Wukong and Bajie ventured deep into the mountain range, climbing peaks and passing cliffs.
After walking for a long time, they finally came upon a cave.
The Monkey King grabbed his iron bar and rushed toward the entrance. Above the door were carved the words: “Yellow Wind Cave; Yellow Wind Peak.”
Wukong shouted:
“Monster! Release my master at once, or I shall raze your lair and destroy your dwelling forever!”
The Vanguard Tiger’s Defeat
When the demons guarding the gate heard this, they ran inside to report to their leader:
“Great Lord, outside the cave stands a monk who looks like a thunder god, wielding a thick iron staff. He demands the immediate release of his master.”
The Cave King turned to the Vanguard Tiger and asked:
“What should we do?”
The Tiger advised:
“Do not panic. Let me lead fifty soldiers out and capture this so-called Monkey King. I promise you, by tonight, I shall serve him to you on a platter.”
Then the Tiger declared:
“I captured your master so that I could offer him to my lord with a bowl of rice. If you had any sense, you would leave now. Otherwise, I will seize you too, and you’ll end up on the Great King’s table as an extra dish.”
Upon hearing these words, the Monkey King flew into a rage. Raising his iron bar, he shouted:
“What power do you have, to dare speak to me like this? Don’t run—face my staff!”
A fierce battle began. But soon, the Tiger began to feel his strength waning and fled.
Hearing the commotion, Piggy Bajie turned around and saw the Monkey King chasing the defeated Tiger. In haste, Bajie freed the horse, raised his rake high, and drove it straight into the monster’s head. What bad luck for the Tiger! The rake pierced nine terrible holes in his skull, from which gushed so much fresh blood that the monster’s brain and marrow dried up.
The Yellow Wind Demon’s Taunt
The fifty demons who had accompanied the Vanguard Tiger ran back into the cave shouting:
“The monkey-faced monk has killed the Vanguard Tiger and dragged his corpse outside!”
At once, the demon king stepped outside and bellowed:
“Where is Sun Wukong, the Pilgrim?”
“Here! Can’t you see me?” replied Wukong, standing one foot on the dead tiger’s body, the iron bar in hand.
“Release my master immediately!”
The monster studied him more closely. Seeing the Monkey King’s small stature—he was indeed less than four feet tall—with sunken cheeks, he burst into laughter:
“I thought you were an invincible hero, but now I see you’re nothing more than a sickly spirit, all bones and skin.”
“You don’t observe very well!” exclaimed the Monkey King, smiling.
“It may be true that I’m short, but I assure you—if you dare strike me even once with your rake, I shall grow taller than six feet in an instant.”
The monster replied:
“In that case, you’d better harden your head well.”
With that, he swung a mighty blow.
The Great Sage did not flinch. His waist stretched, and in seconds, he grew to ten feet tall—six feet taller than before.
A furious battle began at once.
The monster and the Monkey King clashed for over thirty rounds, yet the outcome remained uncertain. Seeking a swift victory, Wukong decided to use his clone technique. He plucked a few hairs, crushed them between his teeth, and spat them out while shouting:
“Transform!”
Instantly, they became over a hundred Wukongs, each wielding an iron bar, quickly surrounding the demon. Startled, the monster also resorted to his deep knowledge of magic. Facing the southwest, he opened his mouth three times and blew with all his might onto the ground. At once, a violent yellow whirlwind rose up.
So powerful was the storm that it swept away all the tiny monkeys, sending them tumbling through the air like spinning tops. They all lost the ability to fight.
Thus forced to admit defeat, the Monkey King hastily retreated from the battlefield.
The Bodhisattva’s Aid
The next day, the Monkey King returned to the entrance of the cave. Making a magical sign and reciting a spell, he gave his body a slight shake and transformed into a tiny, delicate mosquito. He flew quietly into the cave.
Inside, the monster sat in a prominent position. A demon rushed in, greatly agitated:
“I was patrolling the mountain when suddenly I encountered a monk with a long snout and big ears. He was sitting in the forest not far from here. But I saw no sign of the monkey anywhere.”
The monster concluded:
“That means either the whirlwind killed Sun Wukong, or he has gone to seek help.”
One of the demons asked:
“What will we do if he brings along a group of celestial warriors?”
The monster sneered:
“Don’t worry. Only Bodhisattva Lingji can counter my yellow wind. Others are powerless against us.”
Greatly pleased to hear this confession, Wukong immediately flew out of the cave. With a leap, he mounted a cloud and headed southward. It wasn’t long before he arrived at Mount Sumeru, a very high peak.
Bodhisattva Lingji adjusted his robes and warmly welcomed Wukong.
The Monkey King said:
“My master’s life is in grave danger at Yellow Wind Mountain. That is why I’ve dared to come and ask for your help in defeating the monster who has imprisoned him.”
“A just request,” acknowledged the Bodhisattva.
“Indeed, the Tathagata himself has ordered me to watch over the Yellow Wind Monster. For this purpose, he has given me the Wind-suppressing Pearl, a pearl capable of stopping all kinds of winds, and a staff known as the Flying Dragon Staff.”
Having spoken, the Bodhisattva took up the Flying Dragon Staff and ascended the clouds alongside the Great Sage. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at Yellow Wind Mountain.
The Bodhisattva said to the Monkey King:
“I think it best if I stay up here while you go down to challenge him. He fears me so much that, if he sees me, he won’t dare come out. It’s essential to lure him out of his lair so I can exercise my power.”
Wukong accepted the suggestion and immediately descended from the cloud. He grabbed his iron bar and smashed the cave’s gate open while shouting furiously:
“Return my master to me at once, cursed monster!”
Again, the Yellow Wind Great King put on his armor and seized his rake.
Hardly had they fought a couple of rounds when the demon turned his head toward the southwest and filled his lungs with air. At that very moment, Bodhisattva Lingji threw down the Dragon-Subduing Staff from above and recited the incantation.
Instantly, it transformed into an eight-clawed golden dragon, which seized the monster by the head and slammed him two or three times against the cliff rocks. The beast then resumed his original form—a red-furred marten.
Wukong raised his iron bar to finish him off, but Bodhisattva Lingji stopped him, shouting:
“Do not harm him! I will take him to Buddha to be punished.”
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