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.
In Journey to the West, the tales of immortals, demons, mortals, and ghosts unfold across the three realms (Heavenly, Mortal, and Underworld), which reflects the Daoist cosmology.