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04 Five Elements Mountain

Hui'an returned to Heaven in defeat, and the Jade Emperor could not hide his alarm. Guanyin thought for a moment, then pressed her palms together and said, "Your Majesty, this humble monk recommends a god who can capture this ape." "Who?" the Jade Emperor asked eagerly. "Erlang, the True Lord of Guanjiangkou," the Bodhisattva replied. The Jade Emperor sent the Demon King of Great Strength down to the True Lord's temple at Guanjiangkou to read out the decree, ordering Erlang to destroy Sun Wukong, with high promotion and rich reward upon success. Erlang was delighted. "This humble god departs at once," he said. Erlang led forth the Six Brothers of Meishan — the four captains Kang, Zhang, Yao and Li, and the two generals Guoshen and Zhijian — mustered his own divine troops, and with hawk on fist and hound in leash rode a howling gale across the Eastern Ocean straight for Flower-Fruit Mountain. Arriving at Flower-Fruit Mountain, Erlang ordered his men to surround it and went alone to the mouth of Water-Curtain Cave. Seeing a banner bearing the four words "Great Sage, Equal of Heaven," he sneered, "What skill has this wretched ape, that he dares call himself a Great Sage?" and loudly challenged him to battle. Wukong came out of the cave in his purple-gold crown and golden armour. Pointing with his staff, he shouted, "What young general dares challenge me?" "I am Erlang, nephew of the Jade Emperor, invested by decree as the Numinous King Zhaohui," Erlang roared. "By his command I have come to seize you!" Wukong laughed. "I recall the Jade Emperor's sister descending to the mortal world in longing for a mortal life, and bearing a son by one Yang — a boy who once split a mountain to save his mother. Would that be you?" Erlang flew into a rage. "Insolent ape!" He thrust with his three-pointed double-edged blade; Wukong dodged aside and answered with his staff. They fought more than three hundred bouts with neither gaining the advantage. Then Erlang summoned all his divine might and transformed himself: he grew a hundred thousand feet tall, with a blue face, bared fangs and scarlet hair, brandishing his three-pointed double-edged blade like a peak of Mount Hua as he lunged savagely at Wukong. Wukong too called on his magic and grew to match Erlang in size. Raising his golden-hooped rod like a pillar propping up the sky, he held Erlang off. Seizing the chance, the Six Brothers of Meishan led their troops in a charge on Water-Curtain Cave. The pitiful monkey soldiers could not hold, and scattered in flight. Wukong was locked in combat with Erlang when he saw his monkeys routed. His heart faltered; he withdrew his giant form and broke away. He ran all the way out past Water-Curtain Cave and ran straight into the Six Brothers of Meishan, who blocked his path shouting, "Wretched ape, where do you think you're going?" Flustered, Wukong hid his staff in his ear, shook himself, and turned into a sparrow that flew up to a treetop. When the six brothers could not find him they yelled, "The monkey spirit has escaped!" Even as they shouted, Erlang arrived. His phoenix eyes widened and he saw at once that the sparrow was Wukong. He transformed himself into a sparrow hawk, spread his wings and swooped to strike. Wukong hastily became a great cormorant and shot up into the sky. Erlang, seeing this, turned into a huge sea crane and soared into the clouds after him. Wukong dropped down again, plunged into a stream, and became a fish.

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