Trying to calm him, the Monkey King said: “Don’t worry, Master. Wu Jing and I will go and fetch water that will restore your health, and we’ll return as soon as possible.”
Tripitaka lamented:
“Who will take care of us if those who are healthy leave and abandon the sick?”
The old woman approached them and said:
“Calm yourselves. You don’t need your disciples now. We will take care of you and serve you. When you arrived, all of us were captivated by you. Later, when we saw how that bodhisattva of a disciple of yours could fly riding on a cloud, we realized you yourself must be an Arhat Bodhisattva. How could we ever dare to harm you?”
Sun Wukong teased:
“What harm could you possibly do? After all, you’re all women here.”
The old woman laughed and replied:
“You’ve had good fortune coming to my house. The four or five of us women living here are already of advanced age and have long given up the practice of love. Do you think if you had knocked on another family’s door, the young girls there would have let you simply leave? Not in your dreams! They would have slept with you, and if you had refused, they would have killed you.”
She added:
“You shouldn’t delay any longer. Go quickly to get that water.”
The Water Quest
“Do you have a bucket at home? We’ll need one,” asked the Monkey King.
The old woman went to the back and brought out a bucket and a rope, which she handed to Sha Monk.
After estimating its length, Sha Wujing said:
“I think it would be better if you lent us two ropes. If the well is deep, one won’t be enough.”
With the bucket and two ropes in hand, Wujing had no objection to accompanying Wukong. They mounted a cloud and left the village together. In less than half an hour, they reached the Mountain of Male Suppression. After descending from the cloud, they headed toward the sanctuary.
Wukong then ordered Wujing:
“Take the bucket and ropes and hide. I will go challenge the Taoist. While we are deeply engaged in battle, sneak inside, grab the water, and leave immediately.”
Sha Monk nodded in agreement.
Confronting the True Immortal
The Monkey King approached the gate and saw a Taoist sitting cross-legged on the grass. The Taoist stood up slightly when the Monkey King greeted him with a slight bow and returned the greeting, asking:
“From where do you come, and what brings you to this humble sanctuary?”
The Monkey King replied:
“I am merely a humble monk sent in search of scriptures by the Great Emperor of the Tang from the Eastern Lands. While passing through the River of Mother and Child, my master unknowingly drank from its waters and now his belly is swollen and the pain won’t let him live. People told me that only the water from the Stream of Abortions can end the pregnancy. That’s why I have come to seek out the Authentic Complacent Immortal and beg him for some of that water, so I may relieve my master’s suffering. Would you be kind enough to tell me where this respected Taoist resides?”
The Taoist asked again:
“Where is the money, wine, and other offerings?”
The Monkey King replied:
“We live solely off alms received during our journey. Therefore, we possess nothing of our own.”
The Taoist laughed and said:
“You must be mad! My master has never given even a drop of his water freely. I advise you, therefore, to go gather what I’ve asked for. Otherwise, it would be better for you to leave and forget forever about the water.”
The Monkey King declared:
“If you run and tell your master that the Monkey is here, I’m sure he will not treat me roughly. I am the first disciple of Tripitaka Tang and am known by the name Sun Wukong.”
The Taoist had no choice but to go inside and announce the Monkey’s arrival.
“Master, there is a Buddhist monk outside claiming to be Sun Wukong, the first disciple of Tripitaka Tang. He wishes to obtain some water from the Stream of Abortions to cure his master.”
As soon as the Authentic Immortal heard the name Sun Wukong, hatred flared in his heart. Quickly, he removed his robe and put on his Taoist attire. Grasping a hook, he stormed out of the sanctuary shouting:
“Where is Sun Wukong?”
As soon as the Monkey King saw him, he joined his palms and bowed respectfully:
“Sun Wukong is this humble monk.”
“Is the Tang Monk truly your master?” the Taoist asked once more, gritting his teeth in disdain.
“That’s right,” admitted the Monkey King.
“Didn’t you encounter the Holy Child during your travels?” the master continued, his voice filled with contempt.
“That is the nickname of a monster—the Red Boy—who lived in the Cave of the Flame Cloud near the Dry Pine Creek on Roaring Mountain. Why does the Authentic Immortal inquire about him?”
The True Immortal Complacent clarified:
“Because he is my nephew, and the Bull Demon King is my brother. Some time ago, my elder brother wrote to me saying that Sun Wukong, the first disciple of Tang Sanzang, was a complete fraud who brought disaster upon his son. I wanted to avenge him immediately, but I didn’t know where to find you. Now you yourself come knocking at my door. How can I give you even a drop of my water? If you can withstand three consecutive attacks from me, I’ll give you the water; otherwise, I’ll chop you into pieces and thus avenge my nephew.”
The Monkey King retorted in the same tone:
“How utterly foolish you are! You don’t even know what’s best for yourself. If you wish to fight, come closer and face my staff.”
Battle at the Shrine
Although they began fighting right at the entrance of the sanctuary, gradually they moved down the mountain slope.
As soon as he saw the path was clear, Sha Wujing grabbed the bucket and ran into the sanctuary. But the Taoist came out to meet him and tried to block his way, saying:
“Who are you to dare come here and steal our water?”
Without a word, Sha Monk dropped the bucket, drew his demon-slaying staff, and swung it with all his might at the Taoist’s head. Surprise prevented the Taoist from reacting quickly enough, and although he managed to dodge slightly, he couldn’t avoid the blow shattering his left shoulder and arm. Seeing the Taoist fall to the ground, Sha Wujing did not finish him off. As he passed by, he simply insulted him:
Mercy from the monks
“I had planned to crush you, but despite everything, you are human and I feel pity for you. This time, I will spare your life. Now, if it’s all the same to you, let me pass so I can get the water.”
The Taoist dragged himself with great difficulty toward the back. Meanwhile, Wujing lowered the bucket into the well and filled it completely with water.
He then left the sanctuary, mounted a cloud, and shouted to the Monkey King:
“Don’t kill him, Brother! I’ve just obtained the water and I’m going to bring it to the master right away!”
Upon hearing this, the Monkey King blocked another strike of the hook with his iron staff and said triumphantly:
“I had intended to finish you off permanently, but I will spare your life—not out of respect for your virtue, but because of the feelings I still hold for your brother, the Bull Demon King. Let it be known, moreover, that I did not use my full strength against you; otherwise, even if you had multiplied yourself tenfold, I would have finished you in the blink of an eye.”
Not knowing exactly what he was doing, the fallen immortal tried once more to grab the Monkey King by the legs, but the Monkey King dodged the attack in time, lunged forward, and shouted:
“Don’t try to escape!”
The immortal was so startled that he fell flat on his back. The Monkey King wrested the hook from his hands and broke it in half. Then, gathering the pieces again, he split them into four chunks as easily as one snaps a branch.
“Try to reassemble them, you cursed beast! I hope that from now on, you’ll be a bit more honest!” the Monkey King shouted, throwing the pieces to the ground.
Trembling from head to toe, the wicked immortal dared not utter a word. The Monkey King burst into laughter, mounted a cloud, and soared high into the sky.
The Magic Water
Riding his sacred cloud, Sun Wukong soon caught up with Sha Wujing. Possessing the water, they were overjoyed and hurriedly returned to where they had come from. No sooner had they descended from the cloud than they rushed to the cabin.
The old woman took a porcelain cup, filled it halfway, and gave it to Tang Sanzang to drink. Then she did the same for Bajie.
Without delay, the old woman brought out two chamber pots so they could relieve themselves comfortably. After their stomachs contracted several times in succession, the pain began to subside and their bellies gradually reduced in size, indicating that the fleshy mass had been completely dissolved. The relatives of the old woman cooked some rice and fed it to them so they could quickly regain the strength lost during the ordeal.
Then the old woman turned to Tripitaka and said:
“Would you be kind enough to let me keep the remaining water?”
Wukong concluded:
“Now that you’re fully recovered, I will give the rest of the water to this woman’s family. What use do we have for it anymore?”
The old woman thanked the Monkey King and, before warning her family:
“This water will be used to pay for the expenses of my funeral.”
At dawn the next day, they thanked the old woman and her family and left the village.
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