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21 Jindou Cave

Heavenly King Li, seeing the Star Lord of Fire Virtue arrive, laid out a plan: "Star Lord, watch from among the clouds while I go and engage the monster. The moment he tries to throw the steel ring, you will instantly let loose the fire. That way we shall surely take the demon at one stroke." The Star Lord of Fire Virtue, the fire-command banner in his hand, mounted the mountaintop and followed the plan. Heavenly King Li raised his blade and came before the cave to provoke a fight. The old demon came out and laughed, "Li Jing, you are here to beg for your son's weapons back, I suppose?" Li Jing roared, "I have come both to get back the weapons and to rescue the Tang Monk." With that he swung his blade and chopped. The old demon dodged, then whirled his spear to thrust back. The fight made the very heavens dark, the dust and sand flying on all sides. The Star Lord of Fire Virtue, seeing the moment was ripe, signalled the Heavenly King to retreat in pretended defeat. He waved the fire-banner and gave the order. All the fire gods together loosed a great blaze, so that the whole mountain was shrouded in rolling smoke and surging flames, and the imps fled this way and that in terror. The One-Horned King, untroubled, tossed up the steel ring with a flick. With a whoosh the fire dragons, fire horses, fire crows, fire rats and the divine weapons that filled the sky were all drawn into it once more. Wukong, seeing the Star Lord of Fire Virtue defeated and his fire-tools lost, said to the gathered gods, "If the steel ring fears not fire, it must fear water. Let old Sun go again and ask the Star Lord of Water Virtue to come to our aid." So saying, he mounted his cloud and departed. Wukong passed through the northern gate of heaven and came to Wuhao Palace. The Star Lord of Water Virtue hurriedly sent away the Dragon Kings from all quarters, set his cap straight and tightened his sash, and welcomed the Great Sage into the palace. Wukong stated his errand, and the Star Lord of Water Virtue at once ordered the Yellow River Water Elder to accompany the Great Sage to subdue the demon. Seeing the Water Elder holding a jade ladle, Wukong asked, "This little ladle, surely it is the great immortal's vessel for holding water?" The Water Elder laughed, "A single ladle of mine can hold a whole river's worth of Yellow River water. Will that be enough, Great Sage?" Wukong said gladly, "Half a ladle is plenty!" The Yellow River Water Elder left Wuhao Palace, dipped up half a ladle of Yellow River water, and went with Wukong to Mount Jindou. Wukong said to the Water Elder, "I shall go and knock at the gate. The moment the door opens, pour the water into the cave. When the demons are all drowned, I shall find a way of my own to bring the master back to life." Wukong came before Jindou Cave and shouted fiercely, "Old demon! Open the gate at once. Grandpa Sun is back again!" The One-Horned King, hearing the voice, opened the stone door. Before he could speak, an overwhelming flood of water came roaring in. The One-Horned King, in a panic, took down the steel ring and braced the inner gate, and the surging flood burst out of the cave. In an instant the water, sweeping all before it like a storm-wind scattering clouds, turned Mount Jindou into a vast sea. Wukong, quick-witted, sprang up and flew to the mountaintop. Fortunately the slopes of Mount Jindou were steep and the gorges deep, so before long the flood gradually drained away into the gullies on every side. From the mountaintop Wukong looked down. He saw the imps had not suffered a hair's-breadth of harm and were still sporting and shouting outside the cave. Fury blazed up within him. He leaped from the peak, rushed to the front of the cave and began pummelling them with his fists. The One-Horned King, hearing the report, rushed out of the cave. Seeing that Wukong had come to challenge him empty-handed, he laughed loudly, "Your fists are no bigger than walnuts. Not that I would bully you; let me fight you empty-handed all the same!" So saying, he cast aside his steel spear, took up a stance, and closed with Wukong in a brawl. The fight had barely begun when the imps came surging up in a body, waving flags, beating drums, brandishing swords and wielding blades. Wukong, seeing the danger, plucked a handful of hairs from his body and scattered them into the air. In an instant the hairs became three or four dozen little monkeys, who flung themselves on the old demon in a crowd, tugging at his waist, clinging to his legs, scratching his eyes and clawing at his chest, so that he could not swing his fists or use his strength. In the confusion the old demon took down the steel ring and flung it into the air. With a whoosh the little monkeys were all drawn into the ring. The old demon laughed heartily, retrieved his treasure, and went back into the cave to celebrate his victory. Wukong leaped to the peak to take counsel with the gods. The Star Lord of Fire Virtue said, "The demon's magic is nothing out of the ordinary, but the steel ring in his hand is terribly powerful. If the Great Sage can steal that treasure of his, the fiend will surely be subdued!" Wukong laughed, "A fine plan! Let old Sun go and have a look around inside the demon's cave!"

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