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37 Xuanying Cave

At the mouth of the Xuanying Cave they brought their cloud to earth. Bajie was about to hack at the gate when Wukong stopped him. "Wait here a moment," he said. "I will go in first and see whether our master is alive or dead." Wukong put away his rod, made a gesture and spoke a spell, and turned himself into a firefly. Through a crack in the stone doors he flew, straight into the cave. Every ox-demon within was snoring like thunder, all fast asleep. Wukong flew to the middle hall, but there was no sign of the Tang Monk. He turned past the hall and flew towards the inner cave, and suddenly heard the sound of weeping. He flew towards the sound and saw his master chained to a pillar of the back chamber, weeping bitterly. Wukong's heart was filled with joy; he spread his wings, flew to his master, and said softly, "Master, I am here!" The Tang Monk was both startled and glad to know that Wukong had come. Wukong resumed his own shape and said reproachfully, "Master, for want of telling true from false, how many miles have you cost us, and how much toil!" Then he told him of the three demons and of the battle he had fought. The Tang Monk was full of remorse. Wukong used a spell of unlocking, freed his master from the chains, and helped him towards the cave mouth. As they went, several watch-imps carrying gongs and clappers came along and met the two face to face. Without a word Wukong drew his rod and struck two of them dead. The rest flung down clappers and gongs and ran for their lives, shouting, "Great Kings! Woe betide us! The hairy-faced monk is killing men in our very house!" Hearing the outcry, the three demons scrambled up, shouting, "Seize them!" The Tang Monk went limp with fright. Leaving his master, Wukong felled imp after imp with his rod and fought his way out of the cave. The three kings had the Tang Monk bound, barred the front and back gates fast, and set a careful watch. Out of the cave, Wukong found Bajie and Sandy and told them what had happened. Seeing how deathly quiet the cave had become, Sandy cried in alarm, "The fiends mean to make away with our master in secret. Let us strike now!" "You are right," said Wukong. "Down with the gate!" Bajie showed off his power; he heaved his rake and struck with all his might, shattering the stone doors to pieces. The imps within tumbled over one another to carry the news. "This ape is past bearing!" the three kings cried in fury, and donning their armour and seizing their weapons they sallied out to fight. It was now the third watch, and the moon shone in the sky as bright as day. The three rushed out of the cave and, without a word, swung their weapons and struck. Wukong took the battle-axe, Bajie the great blade, and Sandy the knotted rattan: rod smiting axe, rake meeting sword, cudgel rising and falling, staff whirling. It was a rare battle indeed. Monks and demons fought long without a decision. Finding he could not win, the Great King Who Wards Off Cold shouted, "Lads, to me!" and the whole swarm of imps charged forward with their weapons. Bajie stumbled and fell; several water-buffalo demons hauled him up, dragged him into the cave, and bound him. Sandy, unnerved by Bajie's capture, feinted at the Great King Who Wards Off Dust and turned to run, but the imps swarmed about him and ringed him in. He fought desperately, but at last his strength failed and he was taken.

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