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37 Xuanying Cave

Seeing his two brothers taken, Wukong thought, "The gods watch over my master, and he has eaten of the grass-returning elixir, so his life is in no danger. But these three demons have real power, and old Sun cannot beat them; better go to heaven for help." He rained a few swift blows, forced the three back, sprang onto a cloud, and got away. At the Western Gate of Heaven he found the planet Venus talking idly with the Heavenly King of Increase and the four spirit-officials. Seeing Wukong come, they hastened to greet him, and he told them in full of the demons and of his errand. "These three are rhinoceroses that have become spirits," said the planet Venus with a smile. "Through long years of cultivation they have won true power: they can ride the clouds and walk in mist, pass through river and sea, and open channels in the water. To catch them you must ask the four Wood Star Lords to act. Those stars lie beyond the Palace of the Dipper and the Ox. Lay the matter before the Jade Emperor, and all will be made clear." Wukong cupped his hands in thanks and took his leave. He went straight through the heavenly gate and soon came to the Hall of Perfect Brightness, where the four heavenly teachers came forward to greet him. Wukong told them his errand, and the four teachers led him at once to the Hall of Miraculous Mist to audience with the Jade Emperor. When Wukong had finished, the Jade Emperor asked, "Which heavenly troops shall I send to your aid?" Wukong said that only the four Wood Star Lords could subdue them. The Emperor thereupon bade the heavenly teacher Xu take Wukong to the Palace of the Dipper and the Ox, and appoint the four Wood Star Lords to go down and quell the demons. When they came to the palace, the twenty-eight constellation stars were there to meet them. "By the Emperor's command," said the teacher, "I appoint the four Wood Star Lords to go down with the Great Sage and quell the demons." Forth stepped four stars, Jiao Mujiao, Dou Muxie, Kui Mulang and Jing Mu'an, and greeted Wukong. "So you are the four Wood Star Lords," said Wukong with a laugh. Wukong took leave of the heavenly teacher Xu and went with the four stars out of the Western Gate of Heaven and down to the Xuanying Cave on Blue Dragon Mountain. The gate that Bajie had smashed was now propped with a few planks, and within all was silent. "Go first, Great Sage, and challenge them," said the four stars. "Draw the demons out, and then we strike." Wukong agreed, stepped forward, and shouted abuse: "Thieving oil-stealing demons, give me back my master!" Some imps within heard him and ran to the inner cave with the news. "He fled the field," said He Who Wards Off Dust, "and is back so soon; he must have fetched help." "What have we to fear from help?" said the other two. "Lads, out and fight! Do not let the ape escape!" The three kings led out their host of reckless imps, every one with blade or spear, flags waving and drums beating, and shouted at Wukong, "You ape that never learns from a beating, back again to die!" Nothing angered Wukong like that word "ape." He set his teeth, raised his iron rod, and struck. The three kings gathered their imps into a ring and closed it about him. When the four Wood Star Lords saw Wukong locked in battle with the fiends, they raised their weapons and cried, "Wretched beasts, hold your hands!" and fell upon the demon host together. At the sight of the four stars the three demons' souls took flight. "Ruin!" they cried. "The ape has found the very ones who can master us! Lads, every man for his life!" In an uproar of howls the imps resumed their true shapes, mountain oxen, water buffaloes and yellow oxen, and scattered over the hills. The three kings also showed their true forms and fled towards the north-east, with Wukong, Jing Mu'an and Jiao Mujiao hard behind them. Dou Muxie and Kui Mulang slew every ox-demon in the hollows, on the ridges, in the ravines and through the valleys.

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