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17 Fire Cloud Cave

Wukong knew it was the demon's doing and hurriedly leaped to pursue, but the demon had already taken advantage of the moment to carry off the Tang Monk. Wukong sighed, "That wind was raised by that child. This old Sun recognized him as a demon long ago, but Master would not heed my warning." He then went with Bajie and Sandy to search for their master. They searched for several tens of li but saw no trace of their master. Wukong was anxious in his heart. He leaped onto a mountaintop, shouted "Change!" and transformed into a three-headed, six-armed form like the one he had used when making havoc in Heaven. He shook the golden-hooped rod in his hand, turning it into three rods, and struck wildly with a great clatter. A crowd of mountain and earth gods appeared all around, each barely clothed, kneeling before the mountain and crying, "Great Sage, your humble gods present themselves." Wukong asked, "How many demons live on this mountain, and where do they dwell?" The gods said, "Grandfather! It is only one demon, yet he has stirred things up so we have neither food nor clothing and cannot live in peace! He dwells in the Fiery Cloud Cave by the Withered-Pine Ravine. He is the son of the Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan, nicknamed Red Boy, and titled the Holy Infant Great King." Wukong listened with great joy. He dismissed the gods, resumed his true form, leaped down from the peak, and said to Bajie and Sandy, "Brothers, rest assured; this demon is related to old Sun and will surely not harm Master." Bajie did not believe him. Wukong said proudly, "This demon is the Bull Demon King's son, named Red Boy. This old Sun once swore brotherhood with the Bull Demon King five hundred years ago; by that reckoning I am still his old uncle." The three brothers walked a hundred and ten li and suddenly saw a pine forest. Inside the forest was a winding ravine, and across it a stone slab bridge led to a cave dwelling. In front of the cave was a stone tablet engraved with the eight large characters "Mount Hao, Withered-Pine Ravine, Fiery Cloud Cave." Wukong told Sandy to watch the luggage in the pine forest and, with Bajie, each took up his weapon and walked to the gate. Just then a crowd of small demons were wielding spears and swords, and Wukong shouted, "Send out my master quickly, or I will raze your cave dwelling flat!" The small demons hurried back to report. Red Boy ordered them to wheel out five small carts, then came out himself carrying the fire-tipped spear, a brocade battle skirt bound at his waist, his feet bare, and shouted, "Who is it? How dare you shout here!" Wukong smiled, "My good nephew, send out my master quickly; do not spoil the harmony. If your honored father knew, he would blame old Sun for bullying the young, which is unseemly." Red Boy flew into a rage and shouted, "Impudent monkey! Stop talking nonsense; which one of us is your nephew?" Wukong said, "Naturally you would not know; when your honored father and I were sworn brothers, you were nowhere to be seen." He then recounted the story of his oath with the Bull Demon King five hundred years ago. Red Boy would not believe it and raised his fire-tipped spear to stab. Wukong calmly dodged the spearhead, raised his golden-hooped rod, and cursed, "You little beast, you do not know high from low -- take this!" The two turned hostile together, each using his magic powers, and leaped into the clouds to fight. The two fought twenty rounds without victory or defeat. Bajie watched anxiously and also raised his nine-toothed rake to strike at Red Boy. Red Boy was alarmed in his heart, dragged his spear, and fled. Wukong and Bajie pursued to the cave gate and saw Red Boy standing in the middle of one of the small carts, holding the fire-tipped spear in one hand and clenching the other into a fist, striking himself twice on the nose. Bajie roared with laughter. "This child is going to cheat! You beat out nose blood and smear your face red -- where are you going to accuse us?"

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