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15 Lotus Cave

Seeing that he could not break free, Wukong pulled out a handful of monkey hair, chewed it up and spat it out, turning it into several hundred monkeys. The tall ones plied clubs and the short ones swung their fists, and they beat the lesser demons till they scattered like falling stars and their bodies lay in heaps. The monkeys scattered the lesser demons and then closed in upon the Golden-Horned King. In his terror he snatched out the palm-leaf fan and waved it with all his might; at once fire sprang up from the level ground and fierce flames leapt into the air. At the sight of the fire Wukong cried, "This is bad!" He gave a shake and drew back his hairs, made the sign that turns away fire, and leapt out of the towering sea of flame, heading straight for Lotus-Flower Cave to rescue his master. Outside the cave gate Wukong found a hundred or so lesser demons lying sprawled and tumbled, with broken heads and shattered legs. He swung his iron club among them and killed them all. Wukong burst into the cave and was searching for his master when he saw a blaze of golden light upon the table: it was the mutton-fat jade pure vase giving off light. Wukong was overjoyed; he snatched it up and hid it in his bosom. Just then the Golden-Horned King came back, sword in hand and fan in grip, and slashed at Wukong the moment he saw him. Wukong sprang away on his somersault cloud and out of the cave. The Golden-Horned King chased after him, but Wukong had already vanished without a trace. Seeing the ground before the cave strewn with corpses, the Golden-Horned King was consumed with grief and hatred, and stumbled into the cave wailing at every step. Everything in the cave was as it had been, only it was silent, with not a soul in sight. He leaned his sword against the table, stuck the fan behind his shoulder, and sat in the cave alone with his sorrow, until, dazed and heavy, he fell asleep across the table. When all was quiet, Wukong came to the cave mouth to spy it out. The stone gates stood wide open, so he stole inside and saw the Golden-Horned King lolling against the stone table, fast asleep and snoring. He crept softly forward, took the fan, and leapt out of the cave again. The noise woke the Golden-Horned King; he looked up and saw Wukong making off with his fan, and snatched up his sword in pursuit. Wukong leapt out of the gate, stuck the fan at his waist, whirled his iron club in both hands, and joined battle with him. After thirty or forty rounds the Golden-Horned King's strength failed him and he was worsted; he broke off the fight and fled southwest towards Yalong Cave. Wukong brought his cloud down, burst into Lotus-Flower Cave, and released the Tang Monk, Bajie and Sandy, telling them how he had subdued the demons. Delivered from their peril, the three thanked him together. Master and disciples, merry and glad at heart, hunted out the rice, flour and vegetables in the cave, cooked a vegetarian meal, ate their fill, and slept that night in the cave. The Golden-Horned King fled to Mount Yalong, gathered the she-demons great and small, and was joined by his old uncle, King Fox Aqi, with more than two hundred demon soldiers to aid him. Joining their forces, they rode the wind and cloud straight for Lotus-Flower Cave, to have his revenge on Wukong. Master and disciples were about to sit down to their morning meal when they heard shout upon shout outside. They went out to look and saw a troop of demon soldiers coming from the southwest. Wukong said to the Tang Monk, "The demons have fetched reinforcements." He told Sandy to guard their master, hid the treasures about him, and went out with Bajie to meet the foe. King Fox Aqi, a heaven-piercing halberd in his hands, swore aloud that he would avenge his sister. Wukong wasted no words, but raised his staff and struck. After three or four rounds the fiend's strength gave out and he broke away and fled. Wukong gave chase, but the Golden-Horned King barred his way and fought him.

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