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12 The Ginseng Fruit

The Great Immortal and his disciples came to the boys' room and found them sleeping heavily. He ordered half a cup of clear water brought, recited a spell, held the water in his mouth, and sprayed it on their faces, dispelling the sleep magic. Qingfeng and Mingyue rubbed their eyes awake. Seeing their master returned, they kowtowed in haste and tearfully reported everything that had happened in the temple. The Great Immortal was not angry after hearing the account. He only told his disciples to prepare punishments, then with Qingfeng and Mingyue mounted auspicious light to pursue the Tang Monk. Seeing the Tang Monk and his disciples, the Great Immortal descended from his cloud and transformed himself into a wandering Taoist. He came straight to the tree, bowed to the Tang Monk, who hastily returned the greeting with pressed palms. Zhenyuanzi asked, "Elder, coming from the east, did you pass my Wuzhuang Temple on Longevity Mountain?" Wukong knew his master would not lie, so he quickly interrupted, "We did not pass by! We came by the main road." Zhenyuanzi laughed. "Whom are you trying to fool, you impudent monkey? You destroyed my ginseng-fruit tree; return it at once!" Without allowing further discussion, Wukong raised his club and struck at the Great Immortal's head. The Great Immortal mounted an auspicious cloud, resumed his true form, and with his fly-whisk parried Wukong left and right. After two or three rounds, he spread his robe sleeve to the wind and performed the "universe-in-the-sleeve" — with a whoosh the Tang Monk, his disciples, and the horse were all caught in the sleeve. Zhenyuanzi returned to Wuzhuang Temple and ordered his disciples to tie the Tang Monk and his disciples to the eaves pillars of the main hall. The Great Immortal ordered a seven-star whip made of dragon skin brought, intending first to beat the Tang Monk for failing to discipline his disciples. Wukong hastily stopped him: "It was I who stole the fruit, ate it, and uprooted the tree. If you don't beat me first, why beat him?" The Great Immortal laughed. "This impudent monkey still knows some honor. Beat him thirty strokes first." The disciple swung the whip. Wukong saw he was striking his legs and turned them into wrought iron. The disciple struck thirty blows. The Great Immortal then ordered the Tang Monk beaten for poor discipline. Wukong interjected again, "Sir, you are wrong. When the fruit was stolen and the tree uprooted, my master knew nothing. Even if he is guilty of lax discipline, a disciple should take the beating for him." The Great Immortal laughed. "This monkey understands some courtesy. Very well, beat him instead." After sixty strokes Wukong felt no pain, but his two legs gleamed like bright mirrors. Seeing that evening was approaching, the Great Immortal ordered the seven-star whip soaked in water and retired to his room. When everyone had gone, the Tang Monk wept and blamed his disciples, "You caused this trouble and have brought me here to suffer!" Wukong comforted him and told him they would leave shortly. In the depth of night, when all was silent, Wukong made his body small, slipped out of the ropes, and untied his master, Bajie, and Sandy one by one. The four straightened their clothes, took their luggage, led the horse, and fled out of the temple gate together.

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