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10 Yellow Wind Ridge

The gates were shut and the demons all asleep. Wukong did not knock; he formed a mudra, muttered a spell, shook himself and turned into a speckled-legged mosquito, and flew into the cave. The demon on the door was snoring. Wukong stung him on the face, and he rolled over, waking. "Mercy on us! What a huge mosquito! One bite and such a great lump!" Then, seeing it was daylight, he opened the cave gates. Wukong flew buzzing into the inner cave, where he found the Yellow Wind Demon putting his weapons to rights and charging his demons to keep a careful watch. "I fear that wind yesterday did not finish Sun Wukong. He is certain to come again today, and if he does, I swear he shall not live." Wukong paid no heed. He flew past the hall straight into the rear cave, whose gate was shut fast; he squeezed through a crack in the door, and found himself in a great empty garden, where the Tang Monk was bound to a wind-fixing post, weeping bitterly and murmuring the names of Wukong and Wuneng. Wukong settled on the Tang Monk's bare head and called, "Master." "Wukong," said the Tang Monk joyfully, "I have been longing for you. Where are you?" "Here on your head, Master. Do not fret, do not be anxious. Once I have the demon in hand I will come and free you." Wukong flew back through the cave and found the Yellow Wind Demon marshalling his troops. Then a small demon came to report: "Out patrolling, I saw a long-snouted, big-eared monk sitting in the wood; if I had not run fast he would very nearly have caught me. But there was no sign of the hairy-faced one from yesterday." "Sun Wukong is not here," said the Yellow Wind Demon. "He must have been blown to death, or gone somewhere to fetch help." "If the wind did not kill him," said the demons, "and he brings divine soldiers against us, what shall we do?" "What have I to fear from divine soldiers?" said the Yellow Wind Demon. "There is no one who can still my wind — none but the Bodhisattva Lingji. The rest are beneath my notice." Wukong heard this from the roof beam and was overcome with joy; he slipped away at once. Wukong resumed his true shape, found Bajie in the wood, and told him that if only the Bodhisattva Lingji could be found, the Yellow Wind Demon could be subdued — but where the Bodhisattva lived he did not know. Even as they were puzzling over it, an old man came along the highroad. "To learn the road down the mountain, ask the man who has been along it," said Bajie cheerfully. "Why not go and ask him?" Wukong stepped forward and bowed. "We are holy monks come for the scriptures. Yesterday we lost our master here, and I would ask you, sir: where does the Bodhisattva Lingji live?" "Lingji lives on the Lesser Mount Sumeru, two thousand li from here. Take the winding path to the south and you will come to it." Wukong turned to look at the road, and the old man turned into a clear breeze and vanished, leaving a slip of paper by the roadside. On it was written: "To the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, hear me: the old man is Li Changgeng. On Mount Sumeru there is a Flying-Dragon Staff, which Lingji received of the Buddha's own hand." "So it was the old fellow Taibai Jinxing showing us the way," said Wukong. Bajie fell on his knees toward the sky in awe. "Benefactor! It was thanks to Jinxing pleading with the Jade Emperor that this old pig kept his life." "So you can be grateful," said Wukong. "But do not show yourself. Stay hidden here and guard the baggage and the horse. Old Sun is going to Mount Sumeru to fetch the Bodhisattva." Wukong mounted his somersault cloud and went straight south. In a moment a high mountain rose before him, wrapped in auspicious cloud and blessed haze; in a fold of it stood a monastery, where bells chimed softly and incense smoke drifted. Wukong went up to the gate, where a monk with a rosary about his neck was chanting the Buddha's name. He bowed. "I am Sun Wukong, disciple of the Master Tripitaka of the great Tang in the east. I have business with the Bodhisattva, and beg you to announce me." The monk hurried into the hall to report. On hearing this the Bodhisattva put on his cassock, added incense, and came out to welcome him. Wukong entered the hall and took the guest's seat. "My master is in peril on the Yellow Wind Ridge," he said. "I beg you to put forth your great power, subdue the demon and save him."

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