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12 The Ginseng Fruit

The Tang Monk asked Wukong how many days he would need; Wukong said only three. He took leave of his master and went to find a cure for the tree. Wukong mounted his somersault cloud and in a moment reached the Eastern Sea. In the distance, before the White Cloud Cave of the Penglai paradise, the Three Stars of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity were playing chess. Wukong descended and bowed, explaining the cause. The Three Stars hastily returned the bow. "Great Sage, this trouble is no small matter! Zhenyuanzi is the ancestor of earthly immortals, and the ginseng fruit is the root of an immortal tree. How can it be cured?" Wukong frowned. "I'll search to the ends of the earth for a cure, but my master is strict and narrow-minded; he has given me only three days, or he'll recite the Tightening-Band Spell!" The Star of Longevity said, "Great Sage, don't worry; go and seek a cure. We will go and plead for you, so your master will not recite it." Wukong left Penglai and rode an auspicious cloud to Fangzhang Immortal Mountain. He met the Great Emperor of the East, who hastily returned the bow, helped Wukong inside, and served tea. Wukong stated his errand. The Emperor said, "My Nine-Turn Great Monad Elixir can cure living beings of the world, but it cannot heal the root of Heaven and Earth. Great Sage, you must seek elsewhere!" Wukong took leave of the Emperor and rode his cloud to the Yingzhou island, where he saw the Nine Elders playing chess and drinking wine beneath the Cinnabar Cliff Pearl Tree, laughing and singing. The immortals hastened to welcome the Great Sage. After a brief chat, Wukong told the Nine Elders about curing the tree. They had no remedy, and Wukong left disappointed. Wukong left Yingzhou and headed straight for the Southern Sea. Arriving at Mount Potalaka, he descended to Potalaka Rock. At that moment Guanyin was expounding the Dharma to the great gods in the Purple Bamboo Grove. Seeing Wukong had come, she ordered the Mountain-Guardian God to receive him. The Mountain-Guardian God came out of the Purple Bamboo Grove and called, "Sun Wukong, where are you going?" Wukong saw it was the Black Bear Monster and shouted, "You bear! If this old monkey hadn't spared you, how could you have followed the Bodhisattva and attained enlightenment?" The Black Bear hastily smiled. "The Bodhisattva sent me to welcome you!" The Black Bear led Wukong to the Bodhisattva. Wukong reported everything that had happened. The Bodhisattva rebuked him, "You impudent monkey, you don't know good from bad! Zhenyuanzi is the ancestor of earthly immortals; even I yield to him. Why didn't you come to me sooner after destroying his immortal tree?" Wukong secretly rejoiced: the Bodhisattva must have a cure! The Bodhisattva told Wukong that the sweet dew in her pure vase could cure immortal trees and sprouts. Wukong half believed and half doubted. The Bodhisattva smiled. "Once Taishang Laojun made a wager with me and took my willow branch, roasted it dry in his elixir furnace, and returned it. I put it back in the vase, and in one day and night it turned green again." Wukong praised the wonder. The Bodhisattva told the gods to guard the Purple Bamboo Grove, took up her pure vase, and went with Wukong to Wuzhuang Temple. Wukong shouted, "The Bodhisattva has come; receive her quickly!" Zhenyuanzi and all the others, hearing that the Bodhisattva had come, hurried out of the precious hall to welcome her. The Bodhisattva exchanged greetings with everyone and was invited to the seat of honor. After some polite words, Zhenyuanzi ordered incense tables set up and the rear garden swept.

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