Chapter 69: The Heart-Mind Prepares Medicine by Night; The King Speaks of Demons at Banquet

Now to return to the Great Sage. He went with the palace eunuch into the inner court of the royal palace and stopped at the gate of the sleeping chamber. He gave the man the three gold cords and told him, "Have one of the inner palace ladies or a close attendant first bind them under His Majesty's left wrist, at the inch, gate, and cubit pulses. Then thread the ends out through the lattice window and hand them to me."

The eunuch did exactly as he was told, helped the king onto the dragon bed, tied the gold thread at the inch, gate, and cubit points, and passed one end out through the window.

Wukong took the line, set his right thumb against his forefinger to feel the inch pulse, then his middle finger against the thumb for the gate pulse, then his thumb against the ring finger for the cubit pulse. He regulated his breathing, sorted out the four breaths, the five congestions, the seven externals, the eight internals, the nine pulsations, the floating, middle, and deep levels, and the deep-within-shallow and shallow-within-deep pulses, until he had made clear the signs of emptiness and excess. Then he had the left hand unbound and tied in the same way beneath the right wrist.

Wukong then examined the left-hand pulses one by one, shook himself, and drew the gold cord back to himself. In a loud voice he called out, "Your Majesty, the inch pulse in the left hand is strong and tight, the gate pulse is rough and slow, and the cubit pulse is hollow and sunken. In the right hand, the inch pulse is floating and slippery, the gate pulse is delayed and knotted, and the cubit pulse is rapid and firm. A strong, tight left-inch pulse means an empty center and heart pain; rough and slow at the gate means sweating and numb skin; hollow and sunken at the cubit means the urine is red and the stool is mixed with blood.

"A floating, slippery right-inch pulse means inner blockage and stopped channels; a delayed, knotted gate pulse means old food and retained fluids; a rapid, firm cubit pulse means vexation, fullness, and empty-cold tugging at one another. Judging from these noble symptoms, this is a case of fear and brooding, known as the sickness of 'two birds lost from the flock.'"

The king, listening from inside, was overjoyed. He gathered himself and answered in a loud voice, "Clear under the fingers, clear under the fingers! It is indeed that ailment. Come outside and prepare the medicine."

The Great Sage stepped out of the palace at a measured pace. The eunuchs who had heard him already went to tell the others. In a short while Wukong came out, and Tripitaka asked how it had gone.

Wukong said, "I have felt the pulse. Now I am making medicine to match the disease."

The ministers came forward and asked, "Holy monk, just now you said it was the sickness of 'two birds lost from the flock.' What does that mean?"

Wukong laughed. "Suppose there are a pair of birds, male and female, flying together. Suddenly a storm scatters them. The female can no longer see the male, and the male can no longer see the female. The female longs for the male, and the male longs for the female. Is that not 'two birds lost from the flock'?"

The ministers all cheered, crying, "Truly a holy monk! Truly a divine physician!" They praised him without end.

Then the court physicians asked, "The illness is clear enough, but what medicine will cure it?"

Wukong said, "No fixed prescription is needed. I will take whatever medicine suits the case."

The physician said, "The Classic says: 'There are 808 medicinal flavors, and men have 404 diseases.' A disease is not carried by one single body, so how can all the medicines be used? How can one simply take whatever is at hand?"

Wukong said, "The old saying is: 'Do not cling to a formula; use what fits the circumstances.' That is why I have requested all the medicines, so I may adjust them as needed."

The physician had nothing more to say. He left the palace gate, sent men on duty throughout the city to every apothecary, and ordered them to gather the medicines. Each herb was to be prepared in a three-jin portion and sent to Wukong. Wukong said, "This is not the place to compound medicine. Send all the medicines, together with the vessels for preparing them, to the Guesting Hall and hand them over to my two junior brothers."

The physician obeyed and sent the 808 flavors, three jin apiece, together with mortars, grinders, sieves, rubbing stones, rubbing bowls, and pestles, all to the hostel, where they were received one by one.

Wukong went back to the hall to ask his master to come with him and compound the medicine. Tripitaka had just started to rise when an order came from the inner palace telling the attendants to keep the monk there and have him lodge in Wenhua Hall. After he took the medicine in the morning and recovered, he would be thanked and given his travel document for departure.

Tripitaka was greatly alarmed. "Disciple, this means they mean to keep me as hostage. If you cure him well, they will rejoice and send me off. If you do not, my life is over. You must be careful and put your whole heart into it."

Wukong laughed. "Master, rest easy and enjoy yourself here. Old Sun has the hands of a country doctor."

He took leave of Tripitaka and the ministers and went straight to the hostel. Bajie met him and grinned. "Brother, I know you now."

Wukong said, "Know what?"

Bajie said, "I know your scripture-seeking has come to nothing and you mean to make a living with no capital. Seeing the wealth of this place, you have found a way to open a pharmacy."

Wukong snapped, "Nonsense. If I cure the king and then take my leave in triumph, what pharmacy would I open?"

Bajie said, "Still, these 808 medicines, three jin each - that makes 2,424 jin in all. You only mean to cure one man. How much can he use? It would take ages to get through all that."

Wukong said, "Why would I use so much? The physicians here are all foolish and blind. I asked for this much so they would have no way to guess what I am using. They will not be able to see through my marvelous method."

While they were speaking, two hostel keepers came and knelt before them. "Holy monk, please come to the evening meal."

Wukong said, "This morning they treated me so poorly. Now they are kneeling to invite me. Why is that?"

The keepers bowed their heads. "When you first came, we were blind and did not know your noble face. Now we have heard that you have wielded your three-fold skill and treated the ruler of our kingdom. If the sovereign recovers, you will have a share in this land; we all are the king's servants, and it is only right we kneel to invite you."

Wukong accepted with pleasure and went up to the hall to sit. Bajie and Sha Wujing took their places left and right. When the vegetarian meal was set out, Sha Wujing asked, "Brother, where is Master?"

Wukong said, "The king has kept him in the palace as hostage. As soon as he is cured, he will be thanked and sent off."

Sha Wujing asked, "Was he given any comfort?"

Wukong said, "Of course the king has comfort. When I came, he already had three grand ministers attending him and had taken him into Wenhua Hall."

Bajie said, "Then Master still outranks us. He has grand ministers waiting on him, while we only have two hostel keepers making bows. Never mind him. Let me eat my fill first."

So the brothers enjoyed themselves in comfort. By and by it grew late. Wukong told the keepers, "Put away the utensils and bring more oil lamps and candles. We will make the medicine when the night is deep and still."

The keepers brought more oil and candles, then withdrew.

At midnight the street outside was silent, and all sounds of the world had gone still. Bajie said, "Brother, what medicine are we making? Hurry and do it. I am sleepy."

Wukong said, "Bring me one liang of rhubarb and grind it to a fine powder."

Sha Wujing said, "Rhubarb is bitter and cold, with no poison. It sinks rather than floats. It moves things onward and does not stay put. It sweeps away congestion and ends confusion, settling disaster and bringing peace. That is why it is called 'the general.' It is a moving herb, but for long illness and weakness, I fear it is not suitable."

Wukong laughed. "Brother, you do not understand. This medicine helps phlegm and smooths the qi, sweeping away the cold and heat that have been stuck in the belly. Do not worry about it. Now fetch me one liang of croton, with the shells and membranes removed and the oily poison pounded out, then grind it fine."

Bajie said, "Croton is acrid, hot, and poisonous. It cuts away hard accumulations and sweeps the deep cold out of the lungs and viscera. It opens blocked passages and clears the ways of grain and water. It is a general for storming the gates and seizing the door. It cannot be used lightly."

Wukong said, "Brother, you do not understand that either. This medicine breaks up knots and opens the bowels. It can treat heart bloating and water swelling. Make it quickly. I still have other supporting ingredients."

The two of them ground the herbs fine and asked, "Brother, do we still need the other dozens of flavors?"

Wukong said, "No."

Bajie said, "You asked for 808 flavors, three jin apiece, and now you use only these two liang. You really are taking food from a man."

Wukong took a porcelain bowl with flowers painted on it and said, "Enough talk. Use that bowl and scrape half a bowl of soot from the belly of the stove."

Bajie said, "What for?"

Wukong said, "It belongs in the medicine."

Sha Wujing said, "I have never seen stove soot used in medicine."

Wukong said, "Stove soot is called 'hundred-herb frost.' It can harmonize a hundred diseases. You do not know that?"

The Foolish One really did scrape up half a bowl and grind it fine.

Wukong handed him the bowl again. "Now go fetch half a bowl of our horse's urine."

Bajie said, "What do you want that for?"

Wukong said, "To make the pills."

Sha Wujing laughed again. "Brother, this is no joke. Horse urine is foul and rank. How can it go into medicine? I have seen pills made with vinegar paste, with old rice paste, with refined honey, or with plain water, but who has ever seen a pill made with horse urine? It stinks to the nose. A weak stomach will vomit at the first smell. Add croton and rhubarb on top of that, and you will have the patient both vomiting and purging. Is this a joke?"

Wukong said, "You do not know the inside of it. My horse is no ordinary horse. He is of the dragon kind from the Western Sea. If he will only relieve himself, then whatever illness it is, the medicine will cure it at once. Only it is not easy to get."

Bajie heard this and went at once to the horse. The horse was lying sideways on the ground, asleep. The Foolish One gave him a kick to wake him and stood under his belly, waiting. After a long while there was still no urine at all. He ran back and said to Wukong, "Brother, do not go cure the king yet. Go cure the horse first. That dead man is blocked tight; not a drop will come out."

Wukong laughed. "Come with me."

Sha Wujing said, "I will go and look too."

The three of them went to the horse. The horse leaped up and spoke in human words, crying sharply, "Brother, do you not know? I am a flying dragon of the Western Sea. Because I broke Heaven's law, Guanyin saved me, sawed off my horns, stripped off my scales, and turned me into a horse to carry Master west in repayment of my sins. If I urinate into water, the fish in the water will eat it and become dragons. If I urinate on the mountain, the grasses there will drink it and become lingzhi; the fairy boys will gather them for long life. How could I casually waste it in this vulgar place?"

Wukong said, "Brother, mind your words. This is the court of a western king, not a vulgar place, and this is not waste. The old saying goes, 'Many hairs gathered make a fur robe.' We are trying to cure the king. If he is cured, we all shine with him. If not, I fear none of us will leave this place in good shape."

The horse only cried, "Stand back."

He crouched forward, then backward, clenched his teeth until they rattled, and forced out only a few drops before he straightened up.

Bajie said, "That dead thing is golden liquid. A little more would do."

Wukong saw there was less than half a bowl and said, "Enough, enough. Bring it back."

Only then was Sha Wujing pleased.

The three of them returned to the hall and mixed the former medicines together, kneading them into three large pills.

Wukong said, "Brother, they are too big."

Bajie said, "They are only walnut-sized. For me, one bite would not be enough."

They put the pills in a small box and slept in their clothes. The night passed in silence, and before long it was dawn. The king, still lodged with his illness, held court and summoned Tripitaka. He sent his ministers at once to the Guesting Hall to pay respects to Holy Monk Sun and fetch the medicine.

The ministers came to the hostel, knelt before Wukong, and said, "Our lord has specially ordered us to receive the marvelous remedy."

Wukong told Bajie to take the box, opened the lid, and handed it over. The ministers asked, "What is the name of this medicine? So we may report it properly to the king."

Wukong said, "It is called the Black-Gold Pill."

Bajie and Sha Wujing both laughed in secret. "Mixed with stove soot - of course it is black gold."

The ministers asked, "What should be used as the draught?"

Wukong said, "There are two kinds of draughts that will do. The easy one is a broth made from six things."

The ministers asked, "What six things?"

Wukong said, "Crow fart from a bird flying in midair, carp urine taken while the fish is in swift water, the face powder of the Queen Mother, elixir ash from Laozi's furnace, three strips from the Jade Emperor's worn-out headband, and five strands of a dragon-tethering whisker. Steep these six things, and use that broth to send the medicine down. Then your king's worry-sickness will leave him at once."

The ministers said, "These are things that do not exist in the world."

Wukong asked, "Then what is the other kind of draught?"

Wukong said, "Take it with rootless water."

The ministers laughed. "That is easy enough."

Wukong said, "How is it easy?"

The ministers said, "Among common people here, if one needs rootless water, one takes a bowl to the well or river, draws the water, and walks quickly without setting it down or turning back until one reaches home, then gives it to the patient with the medicine."

Wukong said, "Water from wells and rivers all has roots. My rootless water is not that. It must be water falling from the sky and not touching the ground before it is used. Only that is rootless water."

The ministers laughed again. "Then that is easy too. We only need to wait for a cloudy day and rain, and then give the medicine."

They thanked Wukong and took the pills back to the palace. The king was overjoyed and ordered a close attendant to take them up. When he saw them, he asked, "What sort of pills are these?"

The ministers said, "The holy monk says these are the Black-Gold Pill, to be taken with rootless water."

The king ordered the palace women to fetch rootless water.

The ministers said, "The holy monk explained that rootless water is not water from a well or river. It must be water that falls from the sky and does not touch the ground."

The king immediately summoned the chamberlain and ordered him to petition for rain. The ministers obeyed and issued proclamations, but no more need be said of that.

Now to return to Wukong in the Guesting Hall. He called to Bajie, "Just now we said the medicine would only work if the water fell from the sky. At this moment, how are we to get rainwater? I think this king is a truly virtuous and great ruler. Let us help him with a little rain to take the medicine. What do you say?"

Bajie asked, "How can we help?"

Wukong said, "Stand at my left side as the assisting star."

Then he told Sha Wujing, "Stand at my right side as the supporting star. I will help him with some rootless water."

That Great Sage stepped into the gang pattern, muttered a spell, and before long a black cloud gathered in the east and drifted toward his head. A voice called, "Great Sage, Ao Guang of the Eastern Sea comes to call."

Wukong said, "I dared not trouble you without cause. I asked you here to help provide some rootless water for the king's medicine."

The Dragon King said, "When the Great Sage called, you did not say it was water I should bring. I came alone and did not bring any rain gear, nor have I any wind, cloud, thunder, or lightning. How am I to bring rain?"

Wukong said, "We do not need wind, cloud, thunder, or lightning now, and we do not need much rain. We only need a little water to lead the medicine down."

The Dragon King said, "If that is so, I will sneeze twice and spill out some saliva for him to take with the medicine."

Wukong was delighted. "Excellent, excellent. Do not hesitate. Get on with it."

The old dragon lowered the black cloud until it hung above the royal palace, hid his form and shadow, and spat a mouthful of saliva, which turned into sweet rain. The courtiers all shouted in one voice, "A thousand joys to our lord! Heaven has sent down sweet rain!"

The king issued the order at once: "Bring vessels to catch it. Inside and outside the palace, high and low, everyone must gather the immortal water to save me."

Then the civil and military officials, the palace consorts, the three palaces and six courts, three thousand painted girls, and eight hundred lovely ladies all lifted cups, bowls, dishes, and basins to catch the sweet rain. The old dragon worked the saliva from the air above, never leaving the front and rear of the palace. After about an hour, the Dragon King took leave of the Great Sage and returned to the sea. The ministers gathered up all the cups and bowls. Some had caught one or two drops, some three or five, and some none at all. All together there were about three bowls' worth, which they presented to the royal table. The fragrance was truly strange and filled the Golden Throne Hall, while the fine flavor drifted through the emperor's court.

The king dismissed the holy monk and carried the Black-Gold Pill and sweet rain to his chambers. He swallowed one pill and drank one bowl of sweet rain. He swallowed a second pill and drank another bowl. He swallowed all three pills in all three rounds, and all three bowls of sweet rain went down after them.

Before long his belly began to roar like a turning windlass. He sent for the chamber pot and used it three or five times in a row.

After drinking a little rice broth, he slumped back on the dragon bed. Two concubines inspected the chamber pot and could not describe the filth and mucus within it. There was even a lump of glutinous-rice cake. The concubines came to the bed and reported, "The root of the illness has all come down."

The king heard this and was delighted. He had rice gruel brought again.

Before long he felt his chest and heart loosen, his qi and blood settle, and his spirit grow bright and his strength return. He got off the dragon bed, put on his court robe, and went up to the treasure hall, where he saw Tripitaka and at once knelt to the floor. The elder hurriedly returned the bow.

After the bowing, the king took him by the hand and ordered the chamberlain, "At once prepare a formal letter with the words 'I bow again and strike my head to the ground' written on it, and send an officer to invite the holy monk's three disciples. At the same time open the East Hall and have the Court of Imperial Feasts prepare a banquet in thanks."

The ministers received the command. Some prepared the letters, some arranged the banquet. Truly, when a kingdom has the strength to pull over a mountain, all is done in an instant.

Bajie saw the ministers preparing the letters and was overjoyed. "Brother, this really is a fine medicine. Since we are being thanked now, it is all thanks to my elder brother."

Sha Wujing said, "Second Brother, why say that? As the old saying goes, 'When one man has fortune, an entire house is helped.' We all helped compound the medicine, so we all have merit. Just enjoy it and say no more."

And so the brothers all went into court in high spirits.

The ministers received them and led them to the East Hall, where Tripitaka, the king, and the grand ministers were already seated at a banquet. Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Wujing bowed to their master. Then the ministers arrived in full.

There were four vegetarian tables above, each a feast one could look at ten times over while eating it once. In front there was a meat table, also a feast one could eat once and admire ten times over. To left and right there were four or five hundred single tables, arranged in perfect order:

As the old saying goes, "A hundred flavors of fine food, a thousand goblets of rich drink.
Jade cream, butter, and cheese, silk threads of fat and red meat."
The jeweled dishes shone with bright color, and the fruits gave off a rich fragrance.
Sugar dragons twined around lion-shaped immortals, while cakes and buns lay in phoenix pairs beside the oven.
The meats were pork, lamb, chicken, goose, fish, duck, and every sort of flesh; the vegetarian dishes were greens, bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus, and mushrooms.
There were fragrant noodle soups, sweet cakes, and sugar pastries brought out again and again.
Soft yellow-rice grains and fresh water-oat gruel were there too.
Every sort of thick soup was fragrant and spicy, every kind of dish both sweet and savory.
Only when ruler and ministers raised their cups was the seating made proper, and then the drink was passed according to rank and place.

The king lifted his cup with his own hand and seated Tripitaka first. Tripitaka said, "This poor monk cannot drink wine."

The king said, "It is vegetarian wine. Would you not drink this one cup, master?"

Tripitaka said, "Wine is the first of a monk's great precepts."

The king was much troubled. "If the master will not drink, with what shall I show respect?"

Tripitaka said, "Let my three unruly disciples drink for me."

The king was pleased at once, turned the golden goblet, and handed it to Wukong. Wukong took the wine, bowed to the company, and drank a cup. Seeing how readily he drank, the king offered another. Wukong did not refuse and drank that too. The king laughed. "Take a cup of the Three Treasures."

Wukong did not refuse and drank again. The king had yet another cup poured and called it a Four-Seasons cup.

Bajie, standing by and seeing that the wine never reached him, could only swallow his spit again and again in misery. Then, seeing the king press Wukong so hard, he cried out, "Your Majesty, I also helped with the medicine. There was horse..."

Wukong, hearing this and fearing the Foolish One would let the secret out, quickly handed him the cup in his own hand. Bajie took it and drank without another word.

The king asked, "Holy monk, you said there was horse in the medicine. What horse was that?"

Wukong took the answer himself. "My brother is so loose-tongued that if he knows a good remedy, he wants to tell everyone. The medicine the king took this morning contained horseshoe-vine."

The king asked the ministers, "What sort of herb is horseshoe-vine? What illness does it cure?"

A court physician was standing nearby and answered, "My lord, horseshoe-vine is bitter, cold, and harmless. It settles asthma and transforms phlegm, and it is very effective. It opens the qi, removes blood stagnation, supports the weak, calms coughs, and eases the chest."

The king laughed. "Just right, just right. Pig Monk, drink another cup."

The Foolish One said nothing and drank another cup of the Three Treasures.

The king handed Sha Wujing wine as well, and he drank three cups too. Then they all took their seats and continued.

They had eaten and drunk for a long time when the king raised a great goblet and offered it to Wukong.

Wukong said, "Your Majesty, please sit. Old Sun will drink as the cups come, and I will not refuse."

The king said, "Holy monk, your favor weighs like a mountain. I can never repay you. At least drink this great goblet. I have something to say."

Wukong said, "Say it then. Old Sun likes to drink."

The king said, "For several years I have suffered from a worry-and-doubt sickness, and your holy elixir cleared the block, so now I am well."

Wukong laughed. "When I looked at Your Majesty yesterday, I already knew it was a worry-and-doubt illness. Only I did not know what you were worrying and doubting about."

The king said, "As the old saying goes, 'A family's disgrace should not be spoken abroad.' But since the holy monk is my benefactor, if you do not laugh at me, then I can tell you."

Wukong said, "How could I laugh? Please speak freely."

The king said, "When you came from the east, how many kingdoms did you pass through?"

Wukong said, "Five or six."

The king asked, "What do they call the king's wives in those countries?"

Wukong said, "They are generally called the main palace, the eastern palace, and the western palace."

The king said, "I do not use those names. I call my main palace the Golden Sage Empress, my eastern palace the Jade Sage Empress, and my western palace the Silver Sage Empress. At present only the Silver and Jade Empresses remain in the palace."

Wukong asked, "Why is the Golden Sage Empress not in the palace?"

The king's tears fell. "She has not been here for three years."

Wukong asked, "Where did she go?"

The king said, "Three years ago, at the Dragon Boat Festival, I and the palace women were in the imperial garden under the Hailiu Pavilion, unwrapping rice dumplings, hanging mugwort, drinking calamus and realgar wine, and watching dragon boats race. Suddenly a wind rose, and in midair appeared a demon who called himself Sai Tai Sui. He said he lived in Xiezhi Cave on Qilin Mountain, that there was no lady in his cave, and that he had learned my Golden Sage Empress was beautiful and graceful, so he wanted her for a wife. He told me to send her out at once. If I did not hand her over within three calls, he would first eat me, then eat my ministers, and then devour every last commoner in the city.

"At that time I was worried for my kingdom and my people and had no choice. I pushed the Golden Sage Empress out from under the Hailiu Pavilion, and the demon snatched her away with one cry. Because of that I was shaken with terror. The rice dumplings stuck in my belly, and day and night I could not stop worrying. That was how I fell into this bitter illness for three years. Now, after taking your holy elixir, I have gone to the privy several times, and everything that had been stuck for the last three years has come out. That is why I am now strong again and my spirit is like before.

"My life today is all your gift, holy monk. It is more than a mountain of gratitude."

When Wukong heard this, he was filled with delight. He swallowed the great goblet in two gulps and asked with a smile, "So that is the shape of the king's fear and grief. Since you have met Old Sun, you are lucky to be cured. But do you want the Golden Sage Empress brought back to the kingdom?"

The king wept again. "I think of her day and night, without pause, but I have no one who can overcome the demon. How could I not want her returned?"

Wukong said, "What if Old Sun goes with you to subdue the fiend?"

The king knelt. "If you can save my empress, I am willing to lead my three palaces and nine consorts out of the city and become a common man. I will hand the whole kingdom over to the holy monk and let you be emperor."

Bajie, standing by, heard this and saw the king kneeling and could not help laughing aloud. "This emperor has lost all sense of rank. Why would he throw away a kingdom just for a woman and kneel to a monk?"

Wukong hurried forward and helped the king up. "Your Majesty, after that demon took the Golden Sage Empress, did he ever come back?"

The king said, "The year before last, in the fifth month, he snatched the Golden Sage Empress away. In the tenth month he came asking for two palace maids to serve her, and I gave him two. In the third month of last year he came for two more palace maids. In the seventh month he came for two more. This year in the second month he asked for two more. I do not know when he will come again."

Wukong said, "Since he comes so often, are you all afraid of him?"

The king said, "Because he comes so many times, we fear him on one hand and also fear he means to do harm. In the fourth month of last year, I had a Demon-Repelling Tower built. Whenever we hear the wind begin, we know he is coming and hide in the tower with the two empresses and the nine consorts."

Wukong said, "If Your Majesty does not mind, would you take Old Sun to see that Demon-Repelling Tower?"

The king at once took Wukong by the left hand and led him away from the banquet. The ministers all rose together.

Bajie said, "Brother, you are not following etiquette. You will not drink this imperial wine, and now you are breaking up the feast to go look at some tower. What for?"

When the king heard this, he understood that Bajie was only speaking from appetite. He ordered the chamberlain to carry two vegetarian tables and the wine outside the Demon-Repelling Tower to wait there. Only then did the Foolish One stop complaining and laugh with Master and Sha Wujing. "So the feast is turning over."

A line of civil and military officials led the way. The king and Wukong held each other by the arm and passed through the palace. When they reached the back of the imperial garden, they saw no towers or halls at all.

Wukong asked, "Where is the Demon-Repelling Tower?"

Before he had finished speaking, two eunuchs came forward with two red-lacquered poles and lifted a square stone slab from the open ground.

The king said, "It is here. Under this there is a chamber dug three zhang deep with nine audience halls. Inside are four great jars, and each jar is filled with clear oil, with lamps burning day and night. Whenever I hear the wind, I go inside to hide, and then men outside cover the opening with the stone slab."

Wukong laughed. "Then the demon still does not mean to harm you. If he truly wanted to harm you, how could you hide here?"

As he spoke, a wind began to roar in the south and raised dust and sand. The ministers were frightened and cried in one voice, "This monk has a vinegar-and-salt mouth. Why did he have to speak of demons? Now the demon has come."

The king panicked and abandoned Wukong to crawl into the underground chamber. Tripitaka went in after him. The ministers all hid away as well.

Bajie and Sha Wujing also wanted to hide, but Wukong seized them both, one with each hand. "Do not be afraid, brothers. Let us meet him and see what sort of demon he is."

Bajie said, "This is nonsense. What is there to meet? The ministers have hidden, the master is hidden, the king has hidden - why should we not just leave? What family standing are we showing?"

The Foolish One struggled left and right but could not break free. Wukong held him fast for a long while. Then, high in the sky, a demon appeared. Look at him:

Nine feet of body, fierce and cruel, with a pair of ring eyes flashing like gold lamps.
Two round ears, like stretched fans; four steel teeth, like nails driven in.
Red fur ringed his temples, and his brows flamed upright.
His nose hung low and coarse, his nostrils wide open.
His beard was a few threads of cinnabar; his cheekbones stood out, and his face was blue all over.
Red sinews crossed his arms, and blue-black hands gripped a spear.
A leopard-skin skirt was tied at his waist; barefoot and wild-haired, he looked like a ghost.

Wukong looked him over and said, "Sha Wujing, do you know him?"

Sha Wujing said, "I have never met him. How could I know him?"

Wukong asked, "Bajie, do you know him?"

Bajie said, "I have never shared tea or wine with him, and he is not my friend or neighbor. How could I know him?"

Wukong said, "He looks rather like the golden-eyed gatekeeper who stands under Emperor Dongyue."

Bajie said, "No, no."

Wukong said, "How do you know he is not?"

Bajie said, "A ghost is a yin spirit. It comes out only from shen to hai, in the late hours of the day. It is still si hour now. How could a ghost dare come out? Even if it were a ghost, it could not ride clouds. At best it could work a whirlwind. How could it make such a savage gale? Perhaps this is Sai Tai Sui himself."

Wukong laughed. "Good fool, you have some logic after all. In that case, you two stay here and keep watch while I go ask his name, so I can help the king recover the Golden Sage Empress."

Bajie said, "Go if you must, but do not give us away."

Wukong did not answer. He leaped up in an auspicious light.

Heaven to protect the kingdom, first cure the king's illness; to hold to the Way, one must clear away love and hate.

But how it would go in the air, whether he would win or lose, and how he would capture the demon and save the Golden Sage Empress, that must wait for the next chapter.