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37 Xuanying Cave

He came down on a cliff and was looking for a path when he saw four men driving three sheep up from the foot of the slope, calling out "Kai Tai" as they came. Wukong flashed his fiery eyes and looked hard; it was the four Duty-Gods of the year, the month, the day and the hour, come in disguised shape. He leapt down the cliff with his iron rod and barred their way. "Where are you off to," he shouted, "with your heads and necks so well hid?" The four Duty-Gods hastily scattered the three sheep, resumed their own forms, and bowed to Wukong. "Why are you here," he demanded angrily, "instead of guarding my master in secret?" "Your master is watched over by the guardian deities," they said. "We knew the Great Sage would come in pursuit of the fiends, and feared he might not know these hills, so we came to tell him." This mountain is called Blue Dragon Mountain, and in the Xuanying Cave upon it live three demons a thousand years old: He Who Wards Off Cold, He Who Wards Off Heat and He Who Wards Off Dust. Being fond of suhe perfumed oil, they dressed themselves up as Buddhas and beguiled the people of Jinping into setting up the golden lamps, coming every Lantern Festival to take the oil. This year they saw the Tang Monk, knew him for a holy monk, carried him into the cave, and mean to fry him in the perfumed oil. When he had learned all, Wukong sent the four Duty-Gods about their business and went into the mountains to seek the cave. After several li he saw a stone cliff beside the stream, and beneath it a stone house whose two stone doors stood half open. By them was a stone tablet reading "Xuanying Cave of Blue Dragon Mountain"; the demons' dwelling indeed. Not venturing to go straight in, Wukong shouted at the cave mouth, "Demons! Send out my master at once!" In a moment the gates swung wide and a troop of ox-headed imps ran out, gaping and dull-witted. "Who are you," they asked, "to bawl here?" Wukong told them who he was, and they hurried back into the cave to report. Within, the three old demons were planning how to eat the Tang Monk's flesh. On hearing the report they had him brought in and questioned him about himself and his disciples, and he told them all. When the three learned that he who waited outside was the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, who had wrecked the heavenly palace, every heart among them quailed. They ordered the Tang Monk to be shut in the inner cave, then mustered a host of ox-demons, who took up their weapons and marched out with flags waving and drums beating to give battle. At the sight of Wukong the three roared with laughter. "Truly, the name is greater than the man! Why, it is nothing but an ape!" Wukong flew into a rage. "Thieves that steal lamp oil!" he cried. "Give me back my master!" And he rushed at them, swinging his iron rod. The three raised their weapons to meet him: a battle-axe, a steel blade and a knotted rattan cudgel whirled about him, while Wukong with his single rod held them all and showed his full power. The four weapons clashed with a noise that shook the sky. Thus the four fought in the hollow of the hills till earth and heaven grew dark and stones and sand flew; they fought on till evening drew near, with the issue still undecided. Seeing he could not win, the Great King Who Wards Off Dust sprang out of the ring, took a banner and waved it; at once the ox-headed imps closed in from every side and hemmed Wukong in, swinging their weapons at him anyhow. Wukong fended off the three and slew several imps with his rod, but the rest pressed forward over the bodies of their fellows, and the three kings fought ever more fiercely. Unable to hold out, Wukong made a feint with his rod, sprang onto his somersault cloud, and fled the field. The three did not pursue; they beat their drums of victory and led their imps back into the cave. Wukong rode back to the Temple of Compassionate Clouds, and told Bajie and Sandy all that had passed, saying they should rest that night and go to rescue their master with all three of them on the morrow. "Better go tonight," said Sandy, "and take them unawares." Bajie thought this an excellent plan. Wukong agreed, and the three rose upon a blessed cloud, left the city, and made straight for Blue Dragon Mountain.

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