Yet it is said that Tang Seng and his disciples were bound to the pillars beneath the eaves.
Tang Seng complained without end.
When night came, Wukong used a method of escape to slip free of the ropes, then rescued Tang Seng, Bajie, and Sha Seng. Quietly they took back the white horse and the luggage, and fled out through the monastery gate.
He also ordered Bajie to root up four willow trees and transform them into the likenesses of the four of them. Their features were the same, their appearances identical; if questioned they would speak, if called they would answer, and they remained bound there, no different from the real people.
That whole night, master and disciples again pressed on without stopping, fleeing Wuzhuang Temple.
By daybreak, Tang Seng was already utterly exhausted, so they hid below a hillside to shelter from the wind and rest their feet.
As for Great Immortal Zhenyuan, he rose at dawn, ate his morning meal, and ordered his disciples to beat Tang Seng and the other three. The four of them had turned into tree roots.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan gave a cold laugh, sprang onto a cloud, and in an instant caught up with Tang Seng and his disciples. He cried, “Sun Wukong! Where do you think you’re going? Give me back my ginseng tree!”
Bajie heard him and said, “Ah, here he comes again!”
Wukong took up his iron staff and went forward, while Bajie and Sha Seng assisted him. They surrounded Great Immortal Zhenyuan in midair, each raising his divine weapon and attacking together.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan merely used his horsetail whisk to block them. He let the three of them come and go for half an hour without moving in the slightest. Then, with one sweep of his robe sleeve, he once again gathered Tang Seng and his disciples, along with the white horse and luggage, into his sleeve.
He turned his cloud about and returned to the temple. There, he had Tang Seng and his disciples each hoisted up and bound to trees, then ordered his disciples to carry out a great cauldron.
Wukong laughed and said, “Bajie, what good fortune! They’ve carried out a cauldron—looks like they mean to cook us a meal.”
Bajie said, “That’s fine too. Let us eat a bit first; it’ll be easier to die with full bellies.”
The disciples set the great cauldron below the steps and lit a fierce fire until the oil boiled.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Put Sun Wukong into the oil cauldron and fry him, to avenge my ginseng fruit tree!”
When Wukong heard this, he was not afraid of the oil cauldron, only afraid that Great Immortal Zhenyuan might use some immortal art. Thus he did not dare truly fall into the oil, but cast a spell, sent out his primordial spirit, and transformed his own body into a stone lion weighing a thousand jun, leaving it in his place.
Great Immortal Zhenyuan’s disciples came over to lift him. Seven or eight men could not budge him; only with twenty people could they raise him. They all said, “Though this monkey’s body is small, his flesh is solid indeed.”
They carried him up and hurled him into the cauldron. With a sizzling crash, that false Wukong changed back into a stone lion, smashed the cauldron apart, and splashed up drops of boiling oil, scalding several great blisters onto the faces of those young Daoists!
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said angrily, “This damned monkey is truly insolent! How dare he break my cauldron? Untie his master, Tang Sanzang, bring out a new cauldron, and fry him instead, to avenge my ginseng tree.”
When Wukong heard this, he thought, “Master is no good at this. If he falls into the oil cauldron, one boil and he’ll be dead, two boils and he’ll be charred; by three or five boils, he’ll have turned into a rotten mess of a monk! I had better go save him.”
Wukong came down again and spoke pleasantly. “Sir, don’t fry my master. Fry me instead! Just now I only had an urgent need to relieve myself. I feared dirtying your oil and making it unfit for cooking; now I’ve cleared myself out, and am just right for the pot.”
When Great Immortal Zhenyuan heard this, he gave a cold chuckle, walked out of the hall, and grabbed hold of Wukong, saying:
“Sun Wukong, do not display your powers here. I know your abilities, and I have also heard of your great name, but no matter how capable you are, you cannot escape from my hand. Even if you were to see that Western Buddha of yours, you would still have to restore my ginseng fruit tree.”
Wukong laughed and said, “Sir, how petty you are! If you want the tree to live, what difficulty is there?”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “What grand words! If you truly possess such divine power and can heal the tree back to life, I will bow to you eight times in sworn friendship and become your brother.”
Wukong said, “Release them, and Old Sun will guarantee that I return your tree alive.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan judged that they could not escape, and at once ordered Tang Seng, Bajie, and Sha Seng to be released.
Sha Seng said, “That tree is already dead. How does Eldest Senior Brother plan to heal it?”
Bajie said, “The tree is dead—how can it be healed? He’s only saying that to his face, using the excuse of seeking a cure for the tree so he can get away. I’m afraid he won’t be able to look after us!”
Tang Seng said, “He would never dare abandon us. I will go ask him how he means to heal the tree.”
So he called out, “Wukong, where will you go to seek a prescription to heal the tree?”
Wukong said, “The ancients said: ‘Remedies come from beyond the sea.’ I will go to the Eastern Ocean, roam through the Three Isles and Ten Continents, visit immortal elders and holy sages, and seek a method to bring the dead back to life. I guarantee I will heal his tree.”
Tang Seng said, “How long will it take you to return?”
Wukong said, “Only three days are needed.”
Tang Seng said, “Since that is so, I will do as you say and give you a limit of three days. If you return within three days, then all is well; if you have not returned after three days, I will recite that scripture.”
When Wukong heard this, he was helpless. He could only say, “As you command, as you command.”
Just as Wukong was about to leave, he feared that while he was absent his master would be treated slightingly, so he said to Great Immortal Zhenyuan:
“I’ll be back soon. You must not mistreat my master. Every day you must provide him with tea and meals. If his clothes get dirty, have them washed and starched for him. If his face turns even a little sallow, I won’t accept it; if he grows even a little thinner, I won’t leave your gate.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Go on. I will certainly treat him well.”
Only then did Wukong depart.
As soon as Wukong left, Ao Tu came out and said:
“I heard the commotion outside the hall. Has your honored master returned?”
Qingfeng and Mingyue hurried forward to greet him and said, “Celestial Venerable, this is our master.”
Ao Tu raised his eyes and saw Great Immortal Zhenyuan.
On his head he wore a purple-gold crown;
A carefree crane cloak draped his form.
Shoes and slippers shod his feet below;
A silk sash bound his waist between.
Three strands of beard drifted beneath his chin;
Black-feathered locks layered by his temples.
In his hand he held a horsetail whisk—
Truly he was a Da Luo Immortal.
Ao Tu made a greeting, and Zhenyuanzi returned the courtesy, saying, “I heard early on that a fellow Daoist had arrived. Unfortunately, affairs in the temple were numerous, and I was unable to come welcome you in time. I beg your forgiveness.”
Ao Tu said, “Not at all.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “I hear that you have come from the West, specially to heal my precious tree?”
Ao Tu said, “That is so.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “Might I ask what divine powers you possess? May I have a look?”
Ao Tu said, “Great Immortal, please watch.”
When he finished speaking, there was a flash behind Ao Tu, and divine light of five colors appeared: blue, yellow, red, white, and black.
Within that radiance, in the red light was a precious fan, glowing with a faint brilliance.
Within the white light was a golden lotus, exuding a sacred aura.
Within the black light was a sheet of divine water, emitting the three radiances of sun, moon, and stars—it was precisely the Three Radiances Divine Water.
Ao Tu said, “This is the Three Radiances Divine Water. It can heal immortal trees and spiritual sprouts.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan was faintly startled in his heart, though it did not show on his face. He merely praised him, saying:
“It is truly an excellent divine power! Earlier, this humble Daoist went to Miluo Palace in Shangqing Heaven to attend a lecture and happened to meet Old Mother Lishan. She said she had recently recognized a son-in-law. Might you know of this, fellow Daoist?”
Ao Tu smiled and said, “That I do not know. This humble Daoist has always cultivated in seclusion in the sacred land of the West and has not heard of affairs outside.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan smiled and said, “So that is how it is. I see that your body is filled with pure qi; you must also have cultivated since childhood. But why did I hear Qingfeng and Mingyue say that you wanted two people to eat?”
Ao Tu said, “I suppose I did not make myself clear. When I said I wanted two little people, I meant two ginseng fruits, not real people.”
Great Immortal Zhenyuan said, “So that is how it is. That is simple enough.”
To the side, Bajie heard the conversation between Ao Tu and Zhenyuanzi and said, “Master, this is bad!”
Tang Seng said, “What is it?”
Bajie said, “Didn’t you hear what that Daoist said? He can cure that ginseng fruit tree. If he heals the tree, won’t we be useless? Who knows how they’ll punish us then!”
When Tang Seng heard this, he grew deeply worried.
Bajie said, “Master, watch me ruin their business.”
Bajie shouted, “That Daoist, don’t be deceived! That ginseng fruit tree has already been pushed over by my senior brother. How could there still be a single fruit on the tree?”