Now it is said that Wukong and Bajie, tracking the evil wind transformed by Tiger Vanguard, saw him lying before a cliff. Bajie raised his rake and struck with all his might, but it was only a tiger skin stuck to a Tiger-Reclining Rock. Only then did the two realize they had fallen for a trick. They hurried back, but Tang Seng was already gone, leaving only the white horse and luggage.
Bajie led the horse and said, "This is bad! Master has been abducted by that scoundrel!"
Wukong said, "Don't panic! Don't panic! He's still somewhere on this mountain. We'll search carefully."
The two charged into the mountain, parting grass to find paths, crossing peaks and ravines. After traveling for quite some time, they suddenly saw a cave dwelling appear beneath a steep cliff. They approached and saw six large characters on the gate: "Yellow Wind Ridge, Yellow Wind Cave."
Wukong said, "Bajie, there's a wind-sheltered hollow in the back mountain. You take the luggage and horse and wait there. Let this old Sun go call at the gate and first test the monster's strength."
Bajie agreed and took the luggage and horse to hide in the wind-sheltered hollow behind.
Wukong stood outside Yellow Wind Cave, staff in hand, shouting, "Monster! Return my Master quickly, lest I grind your cave flat and overturn your nest!"
At that time, inside Yellow Wind Cave, Ao Tu and the Yellow Wind King were celebrating Tiger Vanguard's merit. This Tiger Vanguard truly had some ability. Using a tiger skin, he had deceived Sun Wukong and Bajie, captured Tang Seng, and saved Ao Tu and the Yellow Wind Great Sage considerable effort. The minor demons in the cave were impatient, crying out to eat Tang Seng's flesh. The Yellow Wind Great Sage stopped everyone, saying only that they had not yet captured Sun Wukong. If they ate Tang Seng, they feared Sun Wukong would come seeking revenge. Thus, he only had Tang Seng tied to a Wind-Anchoring Stake in the back garden, planning to eat him after capturing Sun Wukong.
Tang Seng, tied in the back garden, wept ceaselessly, saying, "Disciples! Where are you subduing demons? Where are you vanquishing monsters? Your master has now fallen into a demon's den, suffering this great calamity. I know not when I shall see the light of day again! How bitter! If you come early to save me, my life may yet be preserved; if you are half a step late, I fear my soul will return to the underworld!"
His tears gushed like a spring, choked and unable to speak.
Hearing this, Ao Tu ordered a minor demon to fetch a rag to stuff Tang Seng's mouth, so they could have some peace and quiet.
Just then, a minor demon rushed in from outside to report, "Great King! This is bad! Outside the cave gate has come a monk with a hairy face and a thunder-god beak, wielding an iron staff as thick as a bowl, cursing and demanding his master!"
The Yellow Wind Great Sage heard this and said, "Needless to say, it must be Sun Wukong. Elder Brother, you stay here and guard the cave. Let me lead the troops out to fight him!"
Ao Tu cautioned, "Younger Brother, remember to act carefully. This foolish brother awaits your triumphant return here."
The minor demons brought out his armor. The Yellow Wind Great Sage dressed completely, took a three-pronged steel fork, and led the horde of demons leaping out the cave gate. He stepped out and bellowed fiercely, "Which one is Sun Wukong?"
Sun Wukong, stepping on Tiger Vanguard's tiger skin, holding the Ruyi Golden-Hooped Staff, replied, "Your Grandfather Sun is here! Quickly send out my Master, lest I demolish your cave dwelling."
The Yellow Wind Great Sage fixed his eyes and looked closely. Seeing Wukong's figure was thin and small, less than four feet, he couldn't help but sneer, "Pathetic! Pathetic! So it was just a bag of bones, a sickly ghost!"
Wukong laughed, "My son, you truly lack eyesight! Though your grandfather is short in stature, if you dare strike my head with that steel fork, I'll grow three feet taller for you to see."
The Yellow Wind Great Sage said, "Do you dare harden your head and take a fork from me?"
Wukong truly feared nothing and stretched his head forward.
The Yellow Wind Great Sage struck hard, but the recoil made his hand ache.
Wukong took advantage of the momentum to straighten his body with a thrust, and his figure indeed grew three feet taller.
The Yellow Wind Great Sage withdrew his steel fork and shouted, "Good monkey, good head! Don't show off these transformation tricks! Step forward and meet me in true combat!"
Wukong laughed, "My son! As the saying goes: 'If you show mercy, don't raise your hand; if you raise your hand, show no mercy.' This Ruyi Golden-Hooped Staff of your grandfather weighs thousands of jun. I'm afraid you won't withstand a single blow!"
As they spoke, both raised their weapons—fork thrusting, staff parrying; staff striking, fork meeting—a magnificent battle ensued.
The Yellow Wind Great Sage and Sun Wukong fought for thirty rounds with neither victorious.
Wukong saw this and used a "Body Outside Body" technique: he plucked a handful of body hairs, chewed them in his mouth, sprayed them upward, and shouted, "Change!" In an instant, he transformed into over a hundred clones, each dressed exactly like him, each wielding an iron staff, surrounding the Yellow Wind Great Sage in midair.
The Yellow Wind Great Sage saw this and also used divine powers; turning back to the Xun position, he took a fierce breath and sprayed it out. Suddenly, a blast of yellow wind arose. What a wind! Truly fierce. Black and murky, dark and dim, cold and whistling—the heavens and earth changed. Formless, shadowless, yellow sand swirled; tearing through forests, snapping ridge lines, toppling trees like seas; scattering soil, raising dust, collapsing mountain barriers; a crimson sun shook and lost its light, all stars in the sky fell into chaos.
This wild gale from the Yellow Wind Great Sage swept all the clones transformed from Wukong's hairs into the air, spinning wildly like windmills without cease.
Wukong retrieved his hairs. Alone, he pressed against the wild wind, raising his Golden-Hooped Staff to advance further, but the Yellow Wind Great Sage sprayed a mouthful of yellow wind directly at him. His two Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils immediately squeezed shut, unable to open again. He had no choice but to retreat in defeat.
Not far away, Bajie, in the wind-sheltered hollow, saw the heavens darken and grow dim. Frightened, he clutched the luggage tightly, held the white horse, chanted Buddha's name and made vows, hoping Wukong would win. When the wind settled and the sky cleared, in his worry he saw Sun Wukong staggering from the west. Bajie hurried forward to greet him, "Senior Brother, what a huge wind! How did you fare?"
Wukong waved his hand and said, "Fierce! Fierce! Since this old Sun was born, I have never seen such evil wind! That monster wielded a three-pronged steel fork and fought me; after thirty rounds, he produced this wind. It was truly vicious, blowing so I couldn't stand steady and couldn't open my eyes. I had no choice but to flee against the wind."
Bajie said, "Senior Brother, how was that monster's martial skill?"
Wukong said, "Passable enough. His fork technique was quite orderly. He fought this old Sun to a standstill. It's just that his wind is fierce, making him hard to defeat."
Bajie said, "If it's like this, how can we save Master?"
Wukong said, "The matter of saving Master can wait a bit. First find an eye doctor to treat my eyes."
Bajie said, "What's wrong with your eyes?"
Wukong said, "I was sprayed by that monster's mouthful of wind. My eyeballs ache fiercely, cold tears stream down, and it's somewhat hard to see light."
Bajie said, "Senior Brother, in the middle of this mountain, and the sky is getting dark—where would we find a doctor?"
Wukong said, "Bajie, you don't know. In the past, Guanyin Bodhisattva promised me at Eagle Grief Stream that the westward journey would have many disasters. If I reached a place of bodily harm and bitter suffering, she would allow me to call upon Heaven and Heaven would respond, call upon Earth and Earth would manifest spirits. If it truly reached an inescapable crisis, she would personally come save me."
Hearing this, Bajie led the white horse, shouldered the luggage, and guided Wukong out of the hollow, walking to the road intersection.
By now the sky was gradually growing late. They only heard the sound of a dog barking from the southern hillside below the road. Bajie stopped to look carefully and saw it was a manor, with faint lamplight shining through.
Bajie stepped forward and knocked on the door.
An old man came out and asked, "Who is it? Who is it?"
Wukong saluted and said, "We are disciples of Master Xuanzang of the Great Tang in the East. Journeying westward to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures, when passing this mountain, our Master was captured by the Yellow Wind King and has not yet been rescued. Now the sky grows late, so we have specifically come to your esteemed house to request lodging for one night. We hope the elder will grant us this convenience."
The old man returned the salute and said, "This old man failed to welcome you. I didn't know it was two venerable elders. Please, come in quickly."